Heart of Thunder, Friends of Light
by BlueShadowStar
Summary: Years ago, a crystal city was found, and it was believed that pokemon had origin from there. Nine creators, a past, a future. 20 so years later a war has been put to pause and secrets are abundant. Mako centric, apearance of others with important parts
1. Chapter 1

The world was at war. Human race had gotten greedy. There were few that still understood the meaning of the relationship between pokemon and trainer, and even fewer who would dare to have one on these days. So was the way of living. Nowadays people didn't gain fame and recognition by winning the Leagues or defeating the Liders of the towns, which had been forbidden by the new Govern. The Black Moon had destroyed the dreams of hundreds, and yet there were still those who opposed that repression and soon the dark era of the pokemon world had been put to a pause.

Like in any war, someone has to fight against the tyranny of, as we call them, the bad guys. Those who had started a small rebellion group were now known as the Preventors. They had started has a small group, but it wasn't after long that their numbers started to grow. Legendary trainers, gym liders and even common trainers, had all chosen to join the faction and fight for the future of the mystical creatures. The best friends of men had been threatened and not all had chosen to stay still and watch a bloody execution to the extinction.

The reason for this war was simple and clear to some, after all wasn't it obvious why they had started the war? Some said that the Black Moon wanted the creatures extinct because of the fear of overpower, others… well others had a more interesting theory. Some spoke of old rumours, rumours with over twenty-years of age. The whispers were that over twenty years ago the government of the time had discovered some really old ruins underground in a place that was now known as the centre of the earth. The ruins were a giant city made of the most bright and pure crystal, a fairy tale that spoke of ancient knowledge, of ancient existence. The city in itself had been completely destroyed, it seemed, but the untouchable palace in the centre had still a towering and majestic presence to it, as if it's inhabitants were still alive. Surrounding the great monument they had found nine pillars, nine pillars that told the story of people creating from pure 'magic' the creatures that were known as pokemon.

Strange enough no bodies were found, not human nor any other type, but even so, it seemed there were still remains of something that had originated the rumours. It seemed that some genetic material was left intact in a laboratory that would have and did put to shame the science of the time. They spoke that from that genetic material, something was created, something that had the power to destroy the world, power that would only bee possible to unleash with the help of the strange and mysterious creatures. So humanity had to try and play God, the government joined some of the best scientists to create a human with the genetic material, a human that would be dangerous, a human that would be in synchrony with pokemon. But things soon became wilder, when people started speaking of nine, not one, but nine humans with a genetic code found buried underground. Tension grew with the dangers that the matter presented, and so that, they say, was the cause of the war, a war that no one knew who had started.

It was refreshing and reassuring to see, that the scars of the war were healing on Mother Nature's body. Tall trees with lavishing green leaves, which caste shadows upon equally green grass. A stillness that was broke from the rattling of the leaves touched by the soft wind, and the grass bending creating a soothing and velvety effect to the eyes of the passer by. It was heaven, but even heaven has its troubles, and soon enough feet padded among the bending grass dispersing the velvety effect that it created. A tall and lean figure sped towards the opening of the forest, her green emerald eyes focused on the trail ahead. Black comfortable trousers rustling against the wind, she tried to ignore the approaching figure of her pursuer.

She was starting to feel tired. It had been two hours since she had first noticed her pursuer. A thunderbolt hit the path she was directing herself to, and she dodged the small fire it had created, avidly avoiding it, she turned to her right, catching a small glimpse of a baby green colour. He was close. Well, maybe it was time to confront him, it would do no good to run away without actually being able to lose track of him.

She saw the sun shine upon a clearing a few meters ahead of her, so she sped up a bit. Finally coming to the centre of the great green expanse, she turned around in time to see soft paws landing in the grass a couple of meters away.

He was small, with about 0.7m. He looked like a wolf cub, with green luscious fur, with little bits of yellow gracing his cute nose and pointy tail. The bit of yellow that graced his muzzle extended until it surrounded the sides of his head. He was everything but ferocious. She smirked; he looked angry his pointy teeth sticking out in an angry snarl and electricity sparkling all over his body, probably from the friction he had gained by chasing after her, he was probably charged by now. "So… you want to play?" she asked, her voice sounding just as tired as she felt. He growled at her, and a small thunderbolt landed just inches from her feet, causing the hairs on her arms to stand on end.

"Shit… this is troublesome." she muttered. How was she to be able to fight the little not so ferocious thing in front of her? He was spiked and really pissed off. She was thinking of turning around and running again, but his next actions cleared any kind of thought from her. He leaped into the air, a yellow energy surrounding him and a lightning bolt landing exactly in the spot she had been before hadn't she jumped back. She saw some kind of twisted smirk grace his muzzle causing any kind of senses she had to stay on alert. It wouldn't do for him to kill her, not that he would do it anyway. "Nice Electrike… how about if I gave you a sweet?" she was still dodging his electric attacks, jumping and hiding behind trees and finally stopping behind a rock that was near the river banc of the forest. It seemed that her offer had interested him, since the electric activity had stopped for complete.

She smirked once again. Which creature didn't like a bit of candy, especially him? She turned around to pear over the rock, an electric ball just zooming a few centimetres from her brown chestnut hair. "Well it seems not…" she ducked behind the rock once again, thinking on a course of actions to take. She was really starting to feel tired, and it wouldn't take long for her to fall down exhausted. She was well aware of the thunderbolts hitting the rock behind her, trying to break it and get to her. 'Think Makoto, think…' she repeated in her mind, trying to see if that brought any kind of plan. She looked to the river that was flowing by her side, thinking hard and seeing each small wave of the current beating against the rocks. She sighed and smiled, if she couldn't win without doing anything drastic than she didn't have any other solution than to surrender.

"Ok. You can stop now, I give up." She waited to see if the thunderbolts stopped, and moments after they did. She peered over the rock and saw him sitting there on his hind legs, with a satisfied and maniacal wolfish grin. That infuriated her, so she got of the ground and stomped over to the small arrogant creature, getting close to him she huffed when he looked at her hair and opened his muzzle in an amused smile. He was going to pay for making fun of her and making some of her hair stick up in weird ways.

"How could you do it?! I was just fooling around and I felt hungry. That doesn't give you a reason to run after me and almost electrify me to death. And look at this," she pointed to her hair "I swear that if it doesn't get in the right place, as it should be, there is going to be a lot of pain. Gezz all this just because of some chocolate. That's it, no more sweets for you." She kept on rambling, trying to smooth her hair down.

Now he was the one to huff and stomp his little paws in annoyance _"You still ask? How could I? How could I, you ask? How dare you even ask? It was my chocolate or did you forget you already had eaten yours? You are such a glutton at times it makes me remember the six year old Mako." _

Even though the message had not sounded in her hears, she wasn't scared. After all, whatever he said only she could hear. It was a mental connection, an invisible bond between him and her. Well… not only between him and her, after all she could talk with all thunder-based pokemon, as well as grass and fighting types. She didn't know why or how she could do it but ever since she was a child she was able to mentally talk with those types of pokemon and understand them. She normally talked to him normally and loudly, since they spent most of their time alone, but when they were with other people then they would only talk mentally.

"It's not my fault. I only wanted something sweet, it has been a long time since I've baked or we've stopped somewhere to eat a nice piece of chocolate cake." She countered, blushing from embarrassment.

"_Now that you talk about it, I do miss your cookies Mako-chan. Maybe we should stop at the next town and settle there for sometime." _The little one cocked his head upwards in a thinking kind of way _"We are in the need of some money as well, for food and other things."_ He watched her seat down and bring her backpack around to rummage through it. _"What are you looking for?"_

"This is a nice spot, the river is just by our side and we can keep open for wild pokemon attacks." She brought some cans out of the backpack she was carrying and set them down. She looked around and then got up "Lets stay the night here, we can continue travelling in the morning. You made me run a lot today, and I guess that can work as training for the day." She looked at Electrike who was by the river drinking some water "Maybe you're right. Maybe we should stop at the next town and stay there, to gather some money and continue on journeying, there might even be a Coliseum there. What do you think? Have a couple of fights and gather the first or second prize?" she was picking up some wood from the surroundings, smiling at the though of having some real fights.

He walked over to where she sat trying to light a fire for the night and contemplated on the proposition. It had been some time since they had fought against real trainers and he kind of missed the teamwork they shared when they were in the rush of battle. It also meant that Makoto would be surrounded by people, which would be good since she didn't have any friends, any human friends for the matter. He knew she didn't mind, but even if she said that loneliness didn't bother her, he was sure it did have some effect on her. Ever since she was a child, she had to cope with being alone, since the other children showed fear and shunned her away. It wasn't her fault that she could understand some kinds of pokemon, or that she could power up and control…

"So… what do you think about the proposition? It would be great to win a good prize and it could work out as some good training." She looked down at the furry little thing sitting by her feet, with worry written all over his eyes. She brushed it aside, since she knew he had a thing to worry too much about her, and continued stirring one of the cans. She looked at the bright orange colours of the sun setting a light soft breeze playing with the bangs of her chestnut ponytail. She looked down at the green wolf, which was also staring at the sun. "And?" she asked a bit patiently "What do you think?"

He looked up lazily at her _"It's a good idea, but first we settle in and get everything sorted out."_ He yawned and lied down on the slightly cold grass.

"Hey, don't you sleep now. Dinner is ready, let me just bring Treecko and Medicham out." She pulled her shirt up a bit, and removed two pokeballs from her belt, throwing them next to her. From one of the balls a green like lizard with a funny tail emerged, and from the other a rather tall humanoid creature with a headband and lose pants adorning his slender body. "Dinner is ready."

"_Dinner?"_ the green lizard rounded the fire and sat side by side with Electrike. _"Good, time to eat. I was getting rather uncomfortable inside that tinny thing."_ He said happily, bouncing from one side to the other while he sat with his legs crossed. To the passer by it would sound something like 'Treecko, Tree…' but to Makoto it sounded as coherently as any other human talking. It was another one of her traits; she could understand what pokemon were saying, but only if they happened to be grass, thunder and fighting type pokemon. When the four of them were together, they always talked freely, but if someone else was nearby only they could talk in their language and she would have to use her mind to respond.

"_How was training?"_ she looked to her left side were the pink clad little fighter had sat with his eyes closed and his legs crossed.

"It was rather fun, though I had to eat Electrike's chocolate to bring him back to life." She answered, while smiling slightly and serving the food into small plastic plates. "He got rather aggressive, so I had to be happy with the fact that we didn't do much fighting but rather running. I guess that's fine; after all he was getting rather fat with all those sweets that we got from the last shop." She laughed when the wolf-like creature snarled and jumped on to his feet.

"_Look who's talking. If I'm not mistaken, I've been having rather free help from someone to empty the bag of sweets."_ He looked indignantly at her and them rather mischievously to his fellow green companion. _"You should have seen Mako when one of my thunder attacks zoomed over her head. It was hilarious to see her hair sticking up in weird places, really hilarious."_

A long squeaky laugh from Treecko and a half sort-laugh from Meditate was what she gained. She stopped eating the contents of her plate, brow twitching has both of them tried to grab their shaking bellies and plate of food at the same time. She looked then at Electrike who was standing proudly by his food, with a smug air in his cute muzzle. Trying to ignore the cuteness of her first friend and companion, she bonked him on the head, earning an even stronger laugh from her other two companions, as the wolf cub look-alike laid his head on the grass with two paws resting on the targeted spot and tail dangling in the air.

"Now eat your food before it gets cold. You two stop laughing and do the same." She ordered in a motherly kind of way and smiled as both of them saluted her in a 'Yes Mam' military way as the shorter one wined.

"_Tomorrow is my turn to train with you Makoto, I hope you haven't forgotten."_ She looked at Medicham who was looking at her with such intensity that she knew tomorrow was going to be a rough day. _"Martial arts and meditation is what we shall improve."_ She nodded and he returned to eating. Well nothing new there since every time they both trained, it was always to improve his fighting ability as well as hers. She loved martial arts and had grown up fighting in a war torn world. She heard Electrike whine again.

"_Ouch! That really hurt."_ He rubbed the spot between his ears with a fluffy paw _"It was just a joke. Don't you know you're supposed to laugh not hit people when they tell a joke? Geez you mean inconsiderate chocolate lover."_ And he resumed his eating activity for the rest of the evening, ignoring the snorts of laughter around him and trying to suppress his own.

It was pitch black around her and extremely cold. She didn't know were this was or when, since the time seemed to had stop. A dark purple glow under her feet alerted her to the appearance of a path running along the darkness and glowing more and more, giving her figure an ethereal glow. Images flashed around her, memories that were hers and she wished not to remember. Images of a tormenting and distant past a past that became brighter and brighter by the appearance of a baby green wolf. Among those green happy moments there was one as tormenting as a grey thunderous storm. She stopped at that image and once again in thousands of times, she saw that film play again. A lone tear running down her cheek and she turned to continue down the glowing path.

The images still flashed around her head. Ones that made her forget the before and after of the grey storm in her life; it was always comforting and warming to remember the times where a green, jumpy lizard had landed in her path and a pink clad, short fighter had fought for his space in the hearts of those around him.

Her path ended in an equally purple glowing clearing of which she walked to the middle and watched as the images halted and changed from being hers to belonging to someone else. A small dark haired child ran after a petite grey puppy dog look-alike. Smiling slightly, she watched as the small girl squeaked and danced around the fresh flowers spread out in the grass.

It was peaceful to watch the girl laugh and squeak as the small Poochyena gave playful barks and whines. The girl fell back on the grass and giggled uncontrollably as the puppy dog licked her face. This was something that reminded some of the moments when she and Electrike had met for the first time. She watched as the black haired girl sat up, her big purple shinning eyes grinning down at the friendly grey creature.

"You are so cute Poochy! I'm glad I found you." She heard the shy voice of the girl whisper and giggling as the cute Poochyena rubbed his muzzle in the palms of her hands.

Makoto watched with curiosity as the girl turned her head upwards as if someone was calling, and saw a man come towards the small cheerful child. He was talking to her, but to Makoto it looked only like the man was moving his mouth in a silent prayer. The girl shook her head, at what Makoto though was a question from the man, and stood to her feet putting Poochyena on the floor. The man spoke again and the girl shook her head more viciously, shutting her eyes and kneeling down to embrace the puppy.

"No. Please don't… please don't make me…" she sobbed. The man kneeled down to her level and talked again, this time grabbing her arm and looking pleadingly at her. She shook her head again and pushed his arm away, only to be grabbed again more forcefully by a man that Makoto hadn't seen present. She watched as the girl struggled harder, trying to free herself and returning to the snarling little grey beast, who was looking ferociously at the man grabbing his friend.

Anger gripping her heart, Makoto watched as the girl cried harder and tried to reach the small puppy, only to be stopped by another men injecting something into her system. Makoto leaped forward as the attacking Poochyena was kicked and went flying towards a tree, only to pass through the image and continue watching from the other side. The puppy tried to rise from the grass only to fall unconscious as the girl whispered only one word as the world darkened for her as well.

"Poochy…" Felling helpless as the girl was carried away, she watched as the image went black, joining the darkness of the surroundings. Only one question ran through her head, what had that been? She looked forward were a tall wall had appeared and saw a little figure crouching against it, arms enveloping knees and head resting in between. She felt herself being pulled forward, and without noticing it she was eye level with the girl, knees resting on the floor and sitting on her legs.

She heard the girl sob silently, something she remembered to have done so many times when youth was still allowed from her part. Resting a hand over one of the arms she spoke in the suffocating darkness "Hey, are you okay? What are you doing here alone?" The girl raised her head slowly and in her, Makoto saw an older version of the girl in the images, older but younger than herself. Her eyes were devoid of the shinning innocence she had seen at first, an innocence Makoto remembered to have lost herself a long time ago. Though the violet eyes were devoid of innocence, she could see something that had replaced it, something that she knew all to well, pain and loneliness.

"I'm waiting. Waiting for what is to come and be gone." She brushed the tears in the corners of her eyes away and continued to look at Makoto "What are you doing here?"

"To tell the truth, not even I know an answer to that." Makoto smiled lightly at the girl and continued "Why don't we try to look for someplace where it's brighter. It's kind of cold as well."

"I really don't want to. This is were I belong, I can't move to somewhere else." She sighted and looked down at her hands "I'm supposed to find some people, but what I really wanted was to find my friend."

"You mean your pokemon? Your little Poochyena?" she watched the girl look hopefully at her and then nod "Then why don't you look for him? I'm sure he would love to know that you are looking for him, and I'm even more certain that you would love to go and find him."

"I… I can't. They will never let me leave… if only I could get out of here." The dark haired girl once again rested her head on her knees. "I'll never be able to leave until I find the people they want… that's what they said, but I don't know if I can believe in them."

Her heart gripped at the sadness in her voice and Makoto asked for her name to what the girl answered Hotaru. "Hotaru… it's a nice name. I'm Makoto." She paused as the girl nodded slowly and raised her head to her again "Why don't you tell me where you are, so I can help you. Then maybe you can go and find your friend, you'll just have to trust me."

The girl looked to her left and said in a low voice "I've trusted once and because of that, I ended getting lost and losing my friend. Bound to the darkness, one with the darkness. Humans are to weak to be trusted, because they trust to much." Makoto flinched at the words; she couldn't believe she was hearing what her own heart screamed to her every time someone approached her. Sitting herself next to the girl with her back against the wall, she sighed.

"I know what you mean. In the world we live in nowadays, everything is more complicated and hateful, but believe me because I wish you no harm." She looked upwards into the infinite darkness and continued pensively "It was not my choice to come here, normally I only dream with things that happened in the past. Maybe you shouldn't trust me, since I don't trust me myself, but even so I believe I can help you just tell me where you are or where Poochyena is and I'll go look for him for you." She looked to the girl who was opening her mouth to talk only to shut it again and stand to her feet startled.

"I've got to go. It's better if you go and don't return ever again." Makoto saw her look to her sides, her shoulder black hair rustling on the fabric of what seemed to be a jumpsuit. "Just forget about Poochy and whatever you saw." Hotaru turned and started to walk into the darkness.

"Wait!! It's like I've told you, it wasn't me who brought myself here." She scrambled to her feet and followed after the girl, her body glowing a soft green as she indulged into the darkness "Let me help you, because I know how it's like to be away from a friend."

The girl looked at her, and she saw her eyes enlarge with surprise. She turned around and started to run deeper into the pitch black, her body shining a dark purple colour. Makoto followed soon after, muttering about brats making her run all day. Hotaru turned to her and raised her hands in the air.

"Please, don't follow me. You should be worried with getting out of this place, you are not used to the darkness and if they find out that you…" Makoto watched with surprise as the girl was enveloped in what seemed ribbons born out of the eternal dark and envelop the girl, shutting of her speech and forcing a faint scream from the younger teen. She tried to reach her, but every time she took a step forward, the ribbons pulled the girl further into darkness. She watched hopelessly as the girl was submerged into the pitch black completely, painfully aware that it was the second time she couldn't have helped. A simple word resonated in her ears 'Go…' and she felt her body fall backwards and eyes shutting heavily.

Makoto woke with a start, well aware of her surroundings and the small creatures sleeping next to her. Yawning and stretching from the remains of the weird dream, she went to prepare for the day ahead. Starting with a refreshing wash from the river she prepared breakfast as her pokemon started to wake up. Cleaning everything up from the fire and any resulting garbage, she called Medicham and Treecko into their pokeballs.

She had talked with them about staying in the next village once again, and the other two agreed, though it had been hard to convince Medicham that they would train later. Seeing as Electrike loved to travel by her side, and refused plainly to be locked in his ball, she swung her backpack on her back and set towards the opposite side of the forest, towards the next village and blissfully unaware of the pair of eyes that followed her every step and action.

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**Disclaimer**: own nothing but the plot and a pair of sneakers.

Hope you liked it, so review and stay tuned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two here. Thanks to those three that reviewed my story and a special thanks for your nice and praising words. This chapter is dedicated to you three who made me rush to continue typing and enjoy myself. Thanks to all of you. **

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Chapter 02

It was all strange to her. Why did she act as though she knew that what she saw wasn't a dream. It still confused her, but somehow she knew that the girl was real, just as everything she had witnessed. Suppressing everything she saw into the back of her head in the morning, she was able to hold it until late afternoon, but somehow the innocent child that had been in those memories kept screaming to her, kept trying to reach her.

"_You've been oddly quiet all day, Makoto. Is something bothering you?"_ she looked down in surprise, not for him speaking to her, but rather from being awakened from her reverie. She peered into his shinny eyes and sighed.

"Nothing important. Just thinking a bit." She returned, keeping her eyes on the road ahead, which sooner or later would start showing high and heavy buildings.

"_You're not regretting the decision we made, are you?"_ He looked up at her, noticing her deep frown _"We really need the money, and in a few months we'll be on the road again."_ At this she looked down, slightly startled.

"You baka. I'm not worried with us going into town and staying, and since when did I worry with something like that." At her comment he snorted and her brow started twitching.

"_Well, lets see... We've been going around since the war ended five years ago, which would make you thirteen at the time... One year later you decided to stop accepting money from who ever was trying to help us, stopping now and then to work in a town for a short period of time…"_

"In all, I've been making your lives a tormenting hell. From running around to making you fight battles that could be avoided if we just stopped to live a normal life in one of the towns." She smiled sadly when he started growling at her "Sorry, I was just thinking about that weird dream I had during the night and nothing like that, I swear."

"_What dream?"_ He brushed her confession of guilt aside, making a note to himself of talking with her about what she had said, and if he knew her well, there were horrible thoughts in her head, ones such as that she was a monster.

"I'm not sure about what it was myself, but one thing is for sure, it sounded pretty real and it was different from the nightmares I'm used to have." She looked down at him once again, noticing his eyes tell her to keep going "There was this girl, and she was brooding… you know, that face I used to have?" at a nod from him she continued unaware of his thoughts 'And still have…' "Well… she had that kind of expression, and before that I saw some of her memories…"

"_Anything you recognised from there?"_ He looked expectantly at her _"You know… anything that made you remember of what happened after the orphanage?"_

He watched her head shake no and fall downwards "Not really, but I saw her being taken by some men, and her baby pokemon being badly beaten," She bit her bottom lip nervously "And that kind of brought memories of when we were separated. That day when I lost track of you, the dreaded day when I saw your blood running and staining the burned grass. That is the one day I want to forget and yet, I can't." They had stopped walking, and he watched as she took in a shuddering breath and clenched her fists.

"_It wasn't your fault Mako, and if you still believe it is… then you should know it's my fault as much as it is yours, if not it's even more my fault."_ He looked up catching her teary eyes in his _"After that day… we spent two years away from each other, until someone offered to help me find you. I saw you black out that day, just as I fell unconscious, only to wake up in a pokemon centre and realise you weren't there anymore, that you were…"_

His speech was cut short just as he was shoved aside, landing heavily on his side on the hard dirt floor. He looked at Makoto ready to scream at her, when he saw that she too had jumped to the other side of the road and a strong water attack was zooming in between them.

Makoto looked at where the attack was coming from, and she saw something run in the bushes in the surrounding trees of the road **"Electrike, are you alright?"** she opted to speak mentally with him, since it seemed that a trainer was near by, hence the sneaky attack.

"_I'm fine, but what the hell was that?"_ he got up from the ground and went to the spot were she was dusting the dirt of her clothes. Looking to the spot were he had also seen their attacker run to, he looked up at her and smirked _"It looks like someone wants to play."_

"**Well then, lets not make our challenger wait."** She turned and started to run in the direction of their enemy, Electrike following close behind. That sneaky trainer better have a good explanation for what he did, because she could have been badly injured since the attack wasn't only aimed at her pokemon but at her as well. Maybe it was Team Rocket, since they had a habit of playing dirty.

She kept running well aware that the wild pokemon of the area were busying themselves with hiding. Wait a second, since when did wild pokemon act this frightened, and why the hell was the forest floor so slippery? She looked down at her feet and saw that it was covered by a blue slime that looked like water, at least slippery enough to make her fall.

"_Be careful, I have a bad feeling about this."_ She looked to her side, up in the trees and saw the electricity rippling of his body like soft waves in open sea. Running always created friction on his body, which in turn charged him up. _"It looks like a water based pokemon judging by the wet grass, but that slime… it must be a different pokemon from what we've seen so far." _

She rolled her eyes. It didn't need a genius to figure it was a water-based pokemon, since the first attack had clearly demonstrated it. She jumped to the side rolling on the grass, just as another attack zoomed the spot were she had been and Electrike called her name. She watched frozen in place has he was tossed against a tree by what she had clearly decided was a Water Cannon attack. What was this bastard of a trainer thinking by fighting dirty? She watched as Electrike got up and walked towards her, positioning himself in an attack form in front of her.

She examined her surroundings, finding that she had been brought to a small space with no trees and only rocks surrounding the small expanse. The magnitude of Electrike's electricity was raising and she saw a slimy figure walk out of the trees. She pushed her pokedex out and started examining the creature in front of her only to find out that her pokedex didn't have any data about what it was.

"**Well there's no response from the pokedex, so we're on our own."** She returned the small device to her backpack and turned to the thing in front of her "Hey, you better come out, or are you planning on letting your pokemon fight alone." She called to the supposed trainer who had yet to show himself.

Both of them watched in shock as the slimy thing laughed out loud at them "Tsk, now now, don't be hasty." And her shock was even greater when she saw the slimy figure start to turn solid and adapt the appearance of a man. He had pale blue hair, his skin sickly contrasting with his hair in a paler blue.

"_This is bad… really bad, and somehow this brings memories. Something is nagging at the back of my head."_ Electrike muttered, spreading his stance even more and electricity leaving his body in enticing waves of soft yellow. _"Keep your guard up."_

"Who are you… better yet, what are you?" she asked, also adopting a fighting stance "It's clear you're not a pokemon and even less, human."

"For a kid, you're quite smart. No, I'm not pokemon nor am I human, and what I am only concerns me." He smirked, his red eyes watching in amusement as she clenched her teeth, he looked down as a small electric wave passed by him "Your pokemon is nice, a beautiful creature indeed. Unfortunately, I have orders to only take you, but I'll do you a favour of keeping him."

He shot a water ball at them, making them jump in different directions, well aware that his actions had surprised both pokemon and trainer. Running in the direction of the girl, he dodged the thunderbolts that were being directed at him from behind.

Makoto watched as the man appeared in front of her and punched her in the stomach, sending her flying against a rock. He had incredible strength and not to mention freaky powers, which involved water. She raised herself slowly watching as his attention was being redirected towards her friend. Smiling she watched the man writ in fury as an electric blast blew him head on.

"_Baka, I told you to be on guard."_ The furry wolf seethed as he joined her _"This guy isn't normal, and I make it my opinion to not hold on him, since it's clear he won't do it for us."_

She chuckled nervously, stretching her shaky legs from the hit **"Sorry, he caught me by surprise."** She looked as her enemy rise himself from his knees, the position he had fallen to when Electrike's attack had connected **"Maybe I better switch you with Medicham."** His fallen expression made her sigh **"His attacks are based on the attacks of water pokemon, and you know it will be a disadvantage for us."**

He looked at her in determination _"Since when do we bother about our enemy's type of pokemon."_ He smirked at the man looking at them _"We've gone against enemies far more stronger than him, though it's different because he looks human, that doesn't change the fact that he challenged us."_

"**I… this is so complicated. Why the hell is he attacking anyway? And who is this freak?"** she rubbed her face in frustration and groaned, her enemy was preparing to attack again **"Ok, if he wants a fight, that's what he'll get. Anyways he was the one to admit he wasn't human, so if something bad happens… we'll just have to let it happen, because I won't let him kill us."**

He nodded his head positively and spread his stance once again _"Let's make this a double battle, let that grumpy Medicham out,"_ he paused _"it's time to have fun."_

She grabbed her pokeball and called for her fighting partner. She watched has he went directly into a fighting stance, his eyes set on the man in front of them. Well she didn't need to warn him of much at least. Silently observing her opponent who had let his harms turn slimy again, she listened as Electrike explained the situation to the other, his snarls sounding incredibly childish to the normal person, as he spoke in what humans called the pokemon language, and something she guessed the man in front of her heard as 'Elec, Electrike…'.

"Finished talking to your pokemon?" she looked startled at the man as he laughed loudly at her surprised face "What? You think I don't know? I've been following you all morning and I heard, not to talk about the fact that it is my mission to take you in." he paused and readied himself for an attack "You are one of the persons we were meant to find and bring back. Somehow it seems your head is more rewarding than the others."

A flash went through her head, and somehow she remembered Hotaru. Shaking her head from that direction, she directed her pokemon to attack. She let Electrike do all the electric attacks and distraction as he ran around the small patch of grass, while Medicham involved himself in a contest of punches and kicks with the man as Makoto ordered.

She was having the upper hand in the fight, that is until he stretched his hands and enveloped both her pokemon in slimy bubbles of water. He cackled evilly as Medicham tried to burst his bubble with a Rapid Spin, only to be bounced back, and Electrike tried to burst his with a Thunderbolt, only to be more injured as the water made him vulnerable to his own element.

"Stop. You both stop it." She declared out laud, since she had been giving every order for an attack that way. In fights, she didn't find fair the fact that she could talk mentally with her pokemon, so she opted to take the normal route that any other trainer had.

Why did they have to do things without her ordering it? She watched as the blue skinned enemy de-attached his bubble hands and another ones appeared in their place. She could see that both Medicham and Electrike were exhausted, after all she had pushed them to the limit, but her enemy was tired as well.

Deciding that she didn't want to call Treecko, she spread her legs in a defensive stance, it was her turn to fight. She watched him smirk at her and she smirked right back.

"So… you want to prove a bit of the medicine your pokemon had?" She saw his brows furrow as her smirk grew into a full-fledged grin.

"You had luck this time. We aren't used to fighting humanoid creeps with water attacks." She blocked as the first fist was aimed at her face.

They continued to exchange fists and feet in a mad flurry, dancing across the small patch now covered in water and slime. "You are one to talk…" he smirked back at her.

"What are you talking about?" she jumped as his feet came towards her legs. Spinning in the air she aimed one of her powerful kicks at his head, sending him crashing against a nearby tree.

He pushed himself from the tree, swiping something blue that was trickling down his chin. "We know about that ability of yours," he paused and walked towards her, attacking again "The ability to control electricity." He grinned as his fist connected once again with her stomach and sent her flying to the floor some feet away.

She watched flabbergasted as he walked towards her, his grinning voice screaming victory to her. How did he know? That was all she could ask herself as he picked her up by the collar of her dark green shirt.

"Calling me a creep like that, shee…" he pulled her to her feet and looking into her eyes "When you aren't very different to myself… probably even worse." He scowled at her "I can't understand why they want you so desperately, not even caring about the people they lose just to get you guys."

She was drowning the frantic calls of her two pokemon and drinking in as much information as she could, ignoring the fact that his body was turning slimy all over, the only solid thing being his head.

"You couldn't even defeat me, and I wonder how you could destroy an orphanage." She shook violently at the memories his comment brought back to her, feeling blue slippery tentacles slip around her body "You couldn't save your pokemon at the time…" she watched him turn his head to the bubbles that were on their left, and saw them shrink in size, making the creatures inside writ in anger and fury "And you won't save him now."

She saw Electrike's eyes look into her own and his voice resonate in her mind _"Mako-chan… please, try to escape"_ at that she snapped. Burying her hands in the slime chest of the man in front of her, she regarded his eyes looking down at her with surprise.

Calling fort a power she only used to train with her pokemon and to defend herself during the war, she watched as the green electricity made him tremble from the inside out, making his un-solid body shake everywhere. His hands had let go of her shirt, but his tentacles still enveloped her waist making some of the electricity return to her body like small tingling tickles.

Stopping the small current of power she withdrew her hands from his chest and stepped back, the tentacles disintegrating into silvery dust. His face was reverting back into the blue slime, his red eyes still staring at her in shock and what looked like realisation.

"Now I know why… why they want you back…" his words glided to her as his body joined the silvery dust of the bubbles that had been surrounding her friends.

Watching the silver dust roll on the wind, Makoto felt her legs give out and she fell to the grass in a sitting position. She was stunned, so much that she didn't feel her friends reach her and check if she was alright. Her forehead was hurting as if a blazing fire had just raged on her entire body. Reaching her forehead to see what was making her head burn, she felt a tingling sensation that was somehow familiar.

"_Makoto, are you ok?"_ she distinctly heard Medicham ask.

"I'm fine." She paused, her tingling forehead still feeling like Electrike's body full of electricity "But how… why did he transform into dust? Shouldn't he…" she felt her throat go dry "Shouldn't he have burned to death?"

"_He wasn't normal."_ Replied the quiet voice of Electrike _"He wasn't even human, and it was he who stated it, so don't blame yourself for what happened."_

"I know." She looked at them and patted Medicham on the head; doing the same to Electrike "Are you two ok?" she watched them both nod.

"_Just a little tired."_ Replied the green wolf. She watched them both turn their eyes to her head, both having a surprised and shocked expression, though Electrike had something akin to recognition in his shinny eyes.

"_What is that on your forehead?"_ Medicham got close to her, stretching one of his fingers to brush over the spot that was blazing and tingling _"Interesting…"_

"What?" she looked at him as he stepped back, reaching her own hand to brush the spot. "What is it?"

He contemplated her with a curious glance _"There's a symbol on your forehead,"_ he watched as she furrowed her brows _"it feels like electricity, but it didn't harm me."_

"_I remember that symbol."_ She looked at Electrike who had sat down and was watching them both with serious eyes _"I saw it that day at the orphanage and then two years later when we were escaping that place."_

He seemed lost in memories and she was sure he was hiding something from them. She felt herself falling into memories of her own. Getting back on her feet, she tripped lightly but was able to stand firmly, and passing her palm on the tingling spot she sighed with relief when she sensed it was dissipating.

"We better get going." She went to retrieve her backpack that had been dropped somewhere and sometime during the incident "I'm sure we can get into the next town before the sun sets."

The agreed and she walked towards them "Do you want to return to your pokeball, Electrike?" she retrieved two balls from her belt "I'll take you to the Pokemon Centre as soon as we get there."

She called Medicham in when he nodded and smiled a bit. She turned to Electrike who had an uncertain look on his muzzle "Don't worry, I'll be careful and it's not like it is that faraway." She pointed the ball towards him "We'll be there in no time." He nodded and she called him in, setting her journey to Lilycove City.

The town was buzzing with people and she found herself feeling even more alien in the strange territory occupied by humans. Well she better get used to it, because she really was going to need to settle down for a short span of time in this place.

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The buildings were high and clean, giving the city a glow of cleanliness she didn't know was possible after so many years of war. Thinking about it, wasn't this the town were the rebellion group had had their base? No use asking it to herself, and since she didn't have a poke-nave she was completely and utterly lost in this great maze of stone.

Walking around town and rounding the streets looking for an obvious Pokemon Centre, Makoto was feeling rather uncomfortable with the looks people were giving her. Was the symbol on her forehead still visible? No that couldn't be, she was sure the tingling sensation had seized and she looked a couple of times into the windows of shops, the reflection there proving her indeed that the symbol had disappeared.

She shrugged her shoulders. No use thinking about something you have no reasons to reflect upon. Rounding the corner she saw that her sense of orientation wasn't really helping her today, so better ask someone rather than walking around town looking for the damnable Centre.

She felt someone pat her on the shoulder and a light male voice ask "Miss are you lost?"

She turned to her inquisitor spotting a tall man with light blond curly hair. He was cute. She smiled sheepishly at him and changed her backpack onto one shoulder.

"Yes. I'm new around here, so I don't really know where things are, nor can I find a map of the town."

He smiled at her, closing his eyes and shaking his head in an understanding way "I though so. It's rare to receive visitors but they are always welcome."

"So that's why everyone is looking funny at me. Hm, what a curious way to receive visitors." She shook her head sideways "Anyway, could you indicate the Pokemon Centre, please?"

He smiled again "Sure. Sorry I can't take you there though, I have some business to attend to."

"Don't worry, as soon as I know directions I'll find the place on my own."

She watched attentively as he explained the way to her, adding one or another details about the streets. She was feeling quite tired, after all walking around all day after defeating a maniac who wanted whatever Kami-sama knows with her.

"Well, that's about it. You'll definitely find it for sure now."

"Thank you for the help Mr." She smiled and stretched her hand.

He took it in his and shaked it firmly but gently "It was a pleasure Miss." He watched her turn around and start walk towards the direction he had pointed her "Miss, are you here to compete in the coliseum battle?

She turned around biting her lip and thinking and she nodded, she watched as he smiled once again and turned his leave.

"See you there then. My name is Quatre Winner." He waved and started walking, until she shouted her name.

"The name's Makoto Kino, see you there. Bye." And she took her leave, turning around the corner and missing the knowing smile from the other party. The streets were still buzzing with people and life, and she relinquished in the memories it brought back of her parents.

She walked around still aware of the directions that had been given to her, admiring and feeling little pangs of jealousy and regret for the children laughing with their families and pokemon. Innocent pokemons that were still babies.

She had never allowed Electrike grow up with something to call childhood, nor did she allow herself. Always running away and avoiding people, with fear that they might have found out what she was and what she had done, just by looking at her.

Turning around one other corner she spotted the great building that was the hospital of pokemon. She continued in direction of the double window doors, her head hung low with both tiredness and suppressed memories. She didn't even notice going against someone until her bum hit the floor and she cursed for her lack of attention.

A nice elegant hand was extended towards her "Sorry, I didn't see you coming." She looked up at the female voice that had spoken to her and she was surprised to see a woman even taller than her, her long dark green tresses shielding them from the reflection of the sun in the window doors.

She accepted the hand and dusted the dirt from her black trousers "I'm the one that should be apologising mam, I was after all, kind of distracted."

"It's quite ok, lets just consider this as a little accident from both parts. Well, don't let me stall you for any longer, I'm sure your pokemon is much more important. See you around," she paused turning around and darting down the road "Makoto."

She stood there stunned. How did that women know her name, and why where all sorts of weird things happening to her? She had a bad feeling that she shouldn't have stopped by this town, hell she had a bad feeling that she should have just ran from the man that had attacked her.

She turned around and walked into the Pokemon Centre, discussing with herself if she should just leave this town as soon as her pokemon were fine.

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**Already started writting the third chapter. We'll see the appearance of some of the senchis and the gundam pilots. How will Makoto react to a certain prussian eyed young man and a legendary trainer by the name Ash and his thunderous Pikachu? Stay tunned to find out. By the way, tell me what you think of a SM crossover with King of Fighters centered around Makoto and maybe a KH crossover. Well you tell me what you guys think and I'll decide upon a certain plot.**

**Disclaimer:** still own nothing


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews once again and for the patience. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I have a slight impression that my chapters are a bit boring, if so just let me know, although I see no way of changing that. Here is a slight index of the speeches, since I mysel find it a bit complicated to understand.**

"Speech..." - normal

**"Speech..."** - trainers talking mentaly with pokemon (only some trainers have this privilege)

_"Speech..."_ - pokemon talking mentaly

**_"Speech..."_** - pokemon talking loudly and being understanded by those who can understand (to trainers who can't understand it will sound like the same old thing, like for example "Pikachu, Pika, Pi..." ') (hehe maybe it sounds stupid)

By the way, sorry for the random swear word... Gomen

**Chapter 03**

The sun was starting to set, displaying a variety of soft yellows and oranges which prophesised the upcoming of even darker colours, as soon as he was ready to shine upon the lives of hundreds on the other side of the world. Makoto played with the water of the fountain were she had decided to sit for some time.

Electrike was sitting beside her muttering something about incompetent trainers. It had been an hour since she was able to take them from the Centre, it seemed the injuries hadn't been too serious. As soon as she had set foot out of the place, the green wolf had come out bouncing of the ball and jumping around attracting unwanted attention of passers by.

She had scolded him then, and dragged him from the place to get something to eat. Sometimes he could be such an attention seeker that she forgot he was Electrike and not Treecko, who had the biggest wish to become the centre of attention of everyone else.

She sighed, pushing her hands out of the cold surface and refreshing her heated face. It was no use; she felt so confused, that her sense of direction was doing nothing to help. Trying to find something in this town was really troublesome and tiring, after all it looked like a never-ending maze.

"_Why didn't you ask at the Pokemon Centre where an INN was?"_ She looked at the scowling wolf with one of her own.

"**I didn't remember at the time ok? It's not my fault that we've suddenly become the spotlight in many people's lives." **She paused and rubbed a hand on her face **"Anyways, I feel really tired. Fighting, running around all day and worrying sick for you guys isn't really a healthy thing to do."**

He mentally sighed _"Then lets head back to the Centre and ask."_

"**We're really far from it now. Let's just ask someone."** She rose from the cold stone of the water fountain and started walking towards one of the streets, a green fur ball after her. The streets were starting to get empty, it was rare to see a living soul still walking about, and when they did see someone they always muttered something and turned away.

"_You know… by this pace we might as well go into the woods and camp there."_ A warm bed and warm meal bubbling in his mind, just to dissipate because of his words.

"**No way. We've come this far and I really want to sleep in something more comfortable than a sleeping bag."** She looked about herself and spotted a flight of stairs with an archway unmistakably belonging to a shrine. **"Might as well look up there."** She pointed to the stairs **"There might be a miko or someone who might indicate where it is."**

Once again she started walking towards the place she had pointed to him. Why the heck did this day start to work al wrong for them? Couldn't Kami-sama have pity on their souls? Scratch that, she didn't want pity she only needed a break.

The stairs were a shinny white of marble, giving of the appearance of being carved out by the hands of gods themselves. They were impeccably clean and polished; the people of the shrine were probably very caring towards this place, that or people were able to float to the top of the stairs without having to touch the steps.

Electrike was hopping behind her, bouncing from one side to the other of each step he climbed as if dodging enemy attacks. She groaned, he sure had a lot of energy to spare; as long as he didn't come to her with the idea of training today everything would be fine. She was almost reaching the top of the steps when her companion talked.

"_Makoto, I will not talk to you up there."_ She stopped mid step and turned around with an arched eyebrow _"There's… there are pokemon up there that can understand you and ear our mental conversations, you know that if they are the type you can talk to, they can hear whatever you say even mentally. They're with their trainers."_

"**And? It's not like they'll know, the trainers that is."** She turned to continue up the stairs until a bark from him made her turn around.

"_Just do what I told you to do. I'm warning you, there's… there's something weird about this."_

She shrugged her shoulders and kept ascending. This was really starting to bug her; now even Electrike was acting weird.

"Duo stop pulling his tail!" what was that? She looked up and saw a blur of black and another of yellow zoom by the top of the flight of stairs followed by a yellow flash and a scream.

She started running, her mind screaming at her that it might be a creep like the one she had found in the forest. As soon as she set foot at the top she halted; there was a young man running in her direction with what she assumed where… priest clothes? Well at least he had the white strap on his neck and a long cross with white borders on the front of his shirt.

When he noticed her, he started to wave his arms around frantically with a scared expression on his cute face and cobalt eyes. He pulled the point of his braid down and with a defeated expression threw himself onto the floor, leaving her flabbergasted to what was behind him.

So that was what he was so scared of. In front of her a yellow fur ball was suspended in the air, his zigzag tail bent forwards and his body sparkling with the yellow energy she had already associated with electric pokemon. She watched the little Pikachu open his eyes to lock into hers in mild surprise. She knew that if he had been able he would have stopped the attack, just as his guilty eyes were yelling at her.

She wasn't feeling her body telling her to get out of the way, hell she didn't have to since it wouldn't even scratch her, but if Electrike was right, there were people here, and it wouldn't be good for them to see how unaffected she became by an attack of that intensity. She watched as the attack zoomed towards her, unaware of the people calling her Miss and telling her to move, she just couldn't get her eyes of his black orbs and the magnificent yellow buzz of his attack.

The green blur that she called fur ball jumped in front of her and charged up releasing an electric beam just as blazing as the one that was coming towards her. Well be damned, she had completely forgotten about Electrike. She watched as the attacks collided mid-air, very close to her.

"**_Elec_**…" he was charging and the next thing she saw was the small Pikachu being blasted some feet away and landing gracefully on his paws.

She sighed in relief and knelt to Electrike's eye level, patting him between his ears unaware of the electricity sparkling of his body and the strange looks the people around her were throwing towards them.

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She was feeling bored. Duo hadn't stopped harassing Pikachu since he had set feet on the shrine's grounds. Brushing a long black bang of hair around her left ear, she continued to swap at the invisible dirt on the floor.

"If you don't stop it Duo, I promise you're going to suffer a painful death, along side that stupid braid of yours." She sighed putting the broom to a pause and looked at the young man poking the yellow pokemon on the red spots on his cheekbones.

"Oh Rei, don't be such a fun spoiler. He likes it, just look at him," she looked and saw that the smaller one was ready to kill, a murderous intent seeping out of his onyx orbs "he's having the fun of his life, and after all, Ash trusted me to take care of him."

She shook her head in exasperation, she was sure that Usagi would have a lot of bruises to take care of later. She was sure that Ash had other reasons to make Duo take care of his long time friend and first pokemon. She smirked, she was sure that the black aired trainer loved to see one of his friends be chased like a maniac around the place.

"Hey Rei!" she turned around to see said trainer running towards her "Just to warn you, but Wufei got all cocky and he's challenging Blaziken." He stopped next to her and pointed towards the backyard of the shrine "Aren't you going to do anything?"

She shook her head no and pointed towards Pikachu and Duo "It's no use, Blaziken won't even pay attention to him, let alone retaliate, but you should be taking care of those two." She looked at him, his black spiky hair being smoothed by a hand and his face illuminating in a full-fledged grin.

"Don't worry, even if I do something Duo will never learn. I think he has some kind of thrill for being almost shocked to death." He laughed and stuck a thumb in the air "Want to duel with me later. Blaziken against Pikachu?"

She smirked one of her famous teasing smirks "You really want to spend the night at the Pokemon Centre?" she stopped her actions with the broom and saw Wufei stalking towards them, an angry scowl adorning his Chinese features.

"Damn that giant chicken you call pokemon, onna." She saw him sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and laying his katana in front of him.

"What's the problem Wu-man?" Duo had joined in the conversation while Pikachu had occupied a place on one of Ash's shoulders "Chicken got your pride?" and he laughed along side Ash as the Chinese man's scowl darkened even more.

"Shut your mouth Maxwell. I'm not in the mood to play, we haven't had some action in a long time and I'm getting really… really…"

"Well it's not our fault Wufei." She directed at him, hitting him on the head with the wood of the broom "I think it's way better if we don't have to hear from those guys ever again. Sheesh men…" she muttered.

"Rei-chan!" she looked in the direction of the shrine's front door and watched as a cheerful blonde ran in their direction, blue eyes reflecting the warmth and radiance of the sun.

"Hey meat-ball head. Done destroying my kitchen?" she greeted the short petite blond, who much resembled an innocent child despite her age.

She watched her stick her tongue out at her, a reaction she was very familiar with and welcomed "Rei!!! It's not like I'm a monster or anything, and I was just doing some cookies for us." She watched the blonde pout and laughed at the cute scene.

It was Ash who spoke up next "I think we were better of if we had let Blaziken scorch the cookies," he paused, pulling on one of the blonds bangs "you know… it would really be a spare of time and gas."

"Oh, men. You guys are really mean to Usagi-chan sometimes." Duo had launched one of his arms over the girl's shoulders "Don't worry girl, they are all cold and don't know anything about peoples feelings."

Usagi giggled and turned to the chestnut-haired boy "Really Duo?" she had a shinny twinkle in her eyes, and Rei could swear that she saw something mischievous in them "Then you won't mind eating some of my cookies, will you?" she pulled a tissue from her front apron and unravelled the bundle to show black coal, or were they supposed to be cookies?

"Maybe some other time Usa-chan, I'm not feeling well today and I can't abuse right now." They all started laughing as he backed away from her, trying to conceive his grim expression "Anyways, I promised Pikachu I would play with him anyways."

She saw Usagi shove the tissue back into the apron while the chestnut braided boy went over to Ash and started poking the pokemon in his cheeks, receiving a disapproving growl from the little temperamental creature.

She watched with satisfaction as Pikachu bit the boy on one of his fingers and yelped. This was a daily routine that even though she complained about, made her feel alive and happy, if even only to forget the past and the pain it brought with it.

"Duo stop pulling his tail!" she watched in horror as her warning came too late, and her braided friend started running for his dear life. Even if this happened almost every day, she couldn't stop feeling dread as he was chased around by a sparkling furry ball of electricity.

Ok, he never came out injured or anything, not seriously injured anyway, but what if they attacked one of the visitants of the shrine? Not to talk about the pollution they caused all the time and the plants they destroyed during their little game of chase the not so innocent mouse.

Even so she couldn't stop the laugh that burst out of her mouth, as a Thunderbolt hit the ground right behind Duo, and his braid was snatched away after a near encounter with extermination and he eeped.

She was wandering when he would give up and conform himself to the fact of being covered in black, when a green blur caught her attention at the stairs. There stood a tall girl with her chestnut hair held up in a high ponytail.

She was wearing black baggy trousers and a dark green T-shirt over a tight black and long sleeved shirt. She had all the appearance of a trainer and Rei found herself thinking that she had met the girl somewhere else before.

Looking at Ash, she saw that the others had also noticed the girl and were looking spellbound as Duo was running in her direction and gesturing for her to get out of the way.

'That damn idiot better not cause problems' she threw her broom to the side as the girl just stood there with a confused and paralysed expression as Duo threw himself to the ground and Pikachu was powering up for a Thundershock.

"Miss get out of the way!" she didn't know what to do as Usagi screamed for the girl to budge and Ash tried to call Pikachu. There was no way they could do anything now, the attack was travelling in the direction of the girl and she was the only one who could dodge it. Why didn't she move?

She saw Wuffei run in the direction of the female trainer muttering something about weak onnas and slow reactions, when he skidded to a halt some feet from her. Looking to where he was looking at, she saw a small green wolf jump in front of the girl and counter Pikachu's attack. Yellow waves of enticing electricity collided in front of them, and she could swear that not only were the hairs on her body standing on end but so was the temperature rising.

He sure was a powerful Electrike; not only was he able to counter Pikachu's attack but she also could see it rise in intensity, sending the small yellow ball flying some feet away.

Well, that sure had been interesting. The girl kneeled and started petting the Electrike between his fur, and she was sure that the girl should have shouted when her skin made contact with the electricity rippling on the creature's body.

She looked at her friends who were as flabbergasted as she felt herself become. That was really strange, because she knew for a fact that the girl would have been electrocuted as soon as her hand was set on his dangerous fur.

Rei had had experiences herself when she was petting Pikachu, and she had witnessed various times when Ash had become covered in black dust after a great shock from the electrifying fur of his companion.

She saw Ash walking in the direction of the girl, just as Duo was raising himself from the ground and dusting his clothes with a relieved expression.

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"Are you ok?" Makoto was startled by the voice; she had completely forgotten were she was. Patting Electrike once more between his ears and being rewarded by his growl of contentment, she looked up at the person who had addressed her.

She was sure her heart had skipped a few extra beats than what it needed. This guy somehow looked familiar. Black spiky hair and black coal eyes looked down in concern at her, and she felt her head nod numbly.

"Sorry babe, but I really tried to warn you about… well, about the situation." She looked in front of her, where her second addresser was still dusting some dust of his clothes.

She rose to her feet and shifted her backpack from one shoulder to the other in silent nervousness. No, she wasn't nervous just because they were cute, but more so because it had been some time since she had been surrounded by people, specially people who showed concern and were cute. Ok, maybe she was a tidy bit nervous because they were cute.

"I'm fine and it's ok, but don't you think you could have used some words instead of frantic waving to warn me about your problem?" she raised a slender eyebrow in question.

"Yeah I could, but I was kind of busy trying to save my innocent braid. You have no idea of the quantity of people who are trying to chop it off." He put his hands on the back of his head in a relaxed way, his lips pouting. It seemed he had taken her words like some kind of scolding.

"Just like you Maxwell to chicken out and put someone in danger, now that stupid onna is probably going to sue us or something." She scowled, as a Chinese man with is hair pushed back in a low ponytail approached them.

She was getting ready to give him a piece of her mind, when a broom hit him painfully on the head. She could swear that she had heard his skull crack under the offending wood.

A miko had joined the group, accompanied by a blond girl with her hair in a weird hairstyle. The raven-haired girl clenched a fist in front of her and shut her eyes as a brow twitched in annoyance "Stop being an ass Wufei."

"Don't mind what he says," she looked back at the coal eyed boy "sometimes he just doesn't know how to approach people, not to talk about the fact that he gets annoyed when he doesn't have anything to do." He smiled sheepishly.

"It's ok, but make sure that he doesn't come back with any of those comments again." She glared at the Chinese man "Or else I'll have to make him see how stupid I can be."

The boy chuckled "Well I don't doubt that, but better not let things go to that extent. My name is Ash Ketchum, and you are…"

Something clicked in her mind "Now I know why you looked familiar. You're one of the legendary trainers that stood up to the government during the war. Not to mention the number of Leagues you won even during the war." He smiled and nodded at her answer "I'm Makoto Kino, nice to meet you." She extended her hand and shook his when he offered the gesture back.

She saw his eyes widen a bit and took her hand back when she realised that she might have let her powers leak somehow. She was feeling tired, so it wouldn't be confusing why she had let them escape a bit, but even so… it wasn't normal to lose control.

"Makoto Kino?" she looked to the young miko and nodded "Well, well, well. Isn't this surprising." She just stared in question "Don't you remember me Mako-chan?"

It seemed the girl knew her somehow. She felt Electrike nuzzle his nose in the base of her pants and looked down to see him point towards the girl with his muzzle. She tried hard to remember where she had seen long black tresses, a light shade of violet eyes and a somehow teasing arrogant smirk. It clicked once again.

"Rei Hino?" she questioned, and after a nod she approached the girl "Who would have thought that I'd have found you here? It's been quite a long while, hasn't it?"

"A year and a half to be more precise." She felt a soft embrace from the girl, who stepped back after a while "You're still going around running from people?" she blushed a little, unaware of the confused glances the people around her were throwing them.

"Do you know her Rei-chan?" they both looked at the petite blond. Her blue eyes were so innocent and shiny that she almost felt an instant warmth creep around her heart. She seemed childish but her eyes somehow mirrored a wisdom, that she had heard her mother say, she possessed herself.

"Yeah. Sometime ago, before I met you guys, I was still travelling around to attain some of the knowledge my grandfather wanted me to have, and I met Makoto along those travels." She paused pondering on something "She somehow showed me what I needed to know and we became friends, but that only happened after she beat the hell out of me and Blaziken at a Coliseum." The miko chuckled softly, and she felt herself smile a little at the memories.

"That's interesting, but what about if we move this conversation to somewhere else." The braided boy interrupted. "You guys are also being rude, first Ash only introduced himself and now you don't introduce anyone else to your friend." He put on a cheesy grin and bowed "The name's Duo Maxwell, nice to meet you babe."

She felt her brow twitch in annoyance "My name's Makoto and not babe, baka." She was still slightly annoyed with him for almost blowing her secret to the wind.

"Yeah, but that still doesn't change the fact that you're beauty- itai." She looked down to see her wolf smirking at the boy. She laughed, something that seemed to have pissed the Chinese boy.

"What's so funny onna? You should be careful with that pokemon of yours." He scowled at her.

"Yes, yes." She muttered and glanced at Electrike who was looking innocently at her, and looked up when Rei spoke again.

"He's still moody as ever, and it seems he's gotten stronger as well." The miko pointed at Electrike and then started pointing at the people that were with her "You already know them, Ash and Duo. That tight ass over there is Wuffei and this here is Usagi." She nodded at each of them until her eyes landed on those of the blonde girl.

She seemed worried. Was she worried with her, Makoto? And why was she even looking at her with that expression. She looked away, trying to shake the feeling away. A feeling she had made herself forget a long time ago. It reminded her oh so much of the way her mother looked at her when she returned home after a day of playing alone.

"So what are you doing here in Lilycove City?" she looked at Rei again, remembering the first reason as to why she had decided to climb the long stairs.

"Oh yeah." She rubbed the back of her head out of habit "Do you guys know were am Inn is? I've been going around for quite a while now, and no one seemed to be very… well knowledgeable about anything."

"You planning on staying in town for long?" she nodded at the question "Good, then we might be able to talk more and meet up. I'm counting that you'll participate in the Coliseum in some weeks?" the miko asked grinning.

"Of course. Do you thing I would miss on the opportunity of kicking your ass again?" she laughed in company of the miko "So do you know were the Inn is?"

"Why don't you stay here with Rei-chan?" she looked at Usagi "I'm sure she wouldn't mind having someone else staying around." She noted the apprehensive glances the girl was receiving, but even so the miko nodded.

"No thanks. I wouldn't mind, it would be an honour, but I like my time alone and my pokemon are quite messy sometimes, and since I like having them out of their balls, it's better if I just get a space of my own." She saw the blonde nod sadly muttering a small ok.

Then she turned to Rei who started giving her directions. It wasn't very far from the shrine, just a couple of streets and turns away. She thanked the miko for the help and looked at the others to say goodbye.

The small Pikachu that had been forgotten for all the time was now sitting on top of Ash's right shoulder looking at her with curiosity and smiling. He talked then, in what she understood pretty well, but was sure the others only heard 'Pika, Pikachu'.

"**_Sorry for the trouble, I tried to stop it but it was a bit late."_** She was sure he didn't know she understood him, so she tried to suppress that urge to respond back and acknowledge him. She opened her mouth but closed it quickly when Electrike's tail swatted her leg. She only smiled at him.

"Nice Pikachu, quite strong." She smiled at them all "It's time for me to go, but I'll see you around. Nice to meet you guys and nice to see you again Rei." She backed from them waving as she went and missing the bark from Electrike, she turned around and felt her face slam into something soft and lean.

It smelled good, really good, so much that she felt her head become light and drowsy. Looking up she saw hard and mesmerising Prussian eyes looking back at her. She blushed and stepped back from his dark red shirt.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going." Once again her hand went subconsciously to the back of her head. His eyes were still looking at her, arms crossed over his chest. She was sure he had shaken his head slightly.

"That was quite obvious. Make sure to pay attention next time." And he started walking away. If it hadn't been for the way he had said those words, she would have noticed the goose bumps that were travelling her body when his deep voice had reached her brain.

"Yeah whatever." She muttered, resuming her descent form the shrine's grounds. This day couldn't have gotten worse; she noted and hopped that it wouldn't get worse. The sun had set already, laying its dark blanket upon this part of the world, small patches shinning through the small holes it had.

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It had been good to see an old friend again. She sighed when Makoto slammed into Heero, and the silent boy just resumed his walking, leaving the girl with an annoyed expression. The others were all going into the shrine, leaving only her and Usagi to greet their friend.

"Hello Heero." he nodded in response, stopping where she and Usagi were. The blonde greeted him and he greeted back "Well, lets get going." she turned around and walking with him beside her "We still have to clean the kitchen Usagi probably destroyed doing her cookies, after doing dinner."

She smirked getting site of his small smile and waited for the blonde's smart retort, except it never came. Turning around she saw the blonde still looking at the steps, the light from the moon making her hair shine like silvery rivers.

"Usagi?" the blonde turned to her, with an expression of someone who had just woken up from a dream "Everything ok?"

The blonde nodded and displayed a small smile "Just wondering if your friend is going to be ok?"

"Makoto?" The girl nodded once again "Don't worry, if there is someone who can take care of herself, that someone is Makoto."

"What happened after you two met?" the blonde asked. She saw that Heero was looking at them with some sort of interest.

"Well, after a month or so from the battle in the Coliseum, the Black Moon attacked the place to try and capture the pokemon of the trainers since the City was still busy after the battles and many trainers were around the area." she paused remembering her own battles at the time against the government "She was with me at the time and the only thing I remember is being knocked out and waking up to a clearing surrounded by agents of the Black Moon, all of them unconscious."

"She left a message at the almost destroyed Pokemon Centre, saying that it was time to move on and that she had decided to continue with her travel. That's when I met you guys and decided to return here, back home."

"I see." Usagi replied. The blonde started bouncing towards the shrine "We can go see her tomorrow, and then get to know everyone better." she started humming and jumping up and down.

"Might you tell me why the sudden interest in Makoto?" she watched the blonde stop bouncing and look at the ground, a soft smile playing with her lips.

"It's just that... she makes me remember of the sad eyes I used to have and you, not to mention that girl from the dream." she paused "But she also resembles Heero." the miko noticed the surprised expression on the soldier's face "So serious and lonely, as if the world had been dropped on their shoulders, and yet their eyes speak of secrets better left untold. Secrets that we might all share"

She looked at her blonde friend who smiled once again and started bouncing to the shrine. Looking to her right she saw the silent boy nod at her and follow the same path as Usagi, leaving her alone to look at the stars and reflect on the past and what might be a glimpse of the future.

Hope you people liked it, and I'm still accepting opinions on the subject I asked about last time, about the crossovers. I'm in a bit of a panic, I don't know if I should pair Makoto with Heero or Ash. What do you think? Well just say something and I'll see, by the way I'm still ansciously waitting for the third chapter of Desert Rose Tauros-San, and I'll be waitting to see stories written by you Gandhara-San, the same goes for JPands and the rest of the reviewers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the late update, but things have been hectic. Thanks to all reviewers for your suport and interest, and sorry for any bad spelling or anything of the sort. I feel really bad for updating so late, but it couldn't be helped. Thanks to JPands for updating her magnific stories and Tauros-san for updating her pieces of art.**

**Once again:**

"Speech..." - normal

**"Speech..."** - trainers talking mentaly with pokemon (only some trainers have this privilege)

_"Speech..."_ - pokemon talking mentaly

**_"Speech..."_** - pokemon talking loudly and being understanded by those who can understand (to trainers who can't understand it will sound like the same old thing, like for example "Pikachu, Pika, Pi..." ') (hehe maybe it sounds stupid)

**Enjoy (though I think it is going to be boring)**

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**Chapter 04**

"Kino, table nine is waiting to be served."

"Right away, sir." She sighed. It had been almost two weeks, since she had first set foot in Lylicove and things had happened like a mad dash in the wild. She had found the Inn on that evening, and thankfully enough it had been a dreamless night.

Usagi and Rei had been there in the morning the next day, and even though she found it hard to admit, she had welcomed the company of the bubbly blond and the serious miko.

She hadn't questioned them as to why they had decided to tag along with her, but she had a serious suspicion that the blond had seen beyond her wish to be alone. Maybe she had seen the already lonely Makoto who wished nothing more than the support of friends.

Making her way to the table, she took note of what the young couple wanted for lunch. She had managed to get a job, thanks to the insistent help of Usagi and Ash in the following days. They had showed her the places that needed employees, and since she had told them she wanted something to do with cooking or serving, she had managed to get a job in a good restaurant.

Her employer had let her start with serving at tables, but soon enough she had started doing some part-time in the kitchen, and gladly enough her boss was considering transferring her to the place where she did a better job, both for the restaurant and her boss's pockets, the kitchen.

She smiled placing the drinks they had ordered on top of the table and turned around to go attend other customers while their meal was being prepared. She felt contentment when she thought about the happenings of the late two weeks; even the training with her pokemon had been sliding smoothly and better than ever.

The Chinese man had proved himself as fiery as Rei and if Rei wasn't his adopted sister, she would swear they were blood and genetically related. She already knew that Rei was an adopted child, but she never imagined that the annoying Chinese man would be her adopted sibling.

One other surprising discovery was that Usagi was also an adopted child, and she would never have imagined, even less than the situation with Rei, that Ash was her adopted brother.

It was really unexpected that the three of them had so much in common, and somehow she found that tiny unexpected situation quite comforting, as if a part of her found a connection with both girls.

"Mako-chan!" she turned in the direction of where her name had been shouted, and saw her new companions sat at a table. Usagi was waving enthusiastically at her, Rei by her side with an annoyed expression. Wufei, Duo, Ash and Heero were also there.

She approached the table where they were, and caught hearing of Rei scolding the blonde, telling her to be less noisy, Wufei also adding his point of view in one or other thing the miko scolded her friend about.

"Hi guys. Here to have lunch?" She smiled at them, noticing the Blissey that was by Usagi's side. It seemed that Usagi liked to help at the Pokemon Centre, the place where she spent most of her time. The blond had probably left the place some moments ago, hence the physical presence of her companion.

Strangely enough, the chubby creature seemed to compliment the bubbly blonde's nature. She found herself being offered an egg plenty of times when some of her bad memories took over her thoughts.

She found out that it wasn't just a myth the stories people talked about, concerning the small creatures that looked like nurses. People said that the small Blisseys were able to feel negative emotions with their fur, and that they offered an individual their eggs when they felt the sadness. That was what Usagi had told her.

"What do you think people do in a restaurant, onna?" she looked at the smirking katana wielder and smirked herself. Oh, this was something she had gotten used to; the snide remarks, the playful commentaries and the blazing fights.

He had become her sparring partner in less than a week, as soon as she showed him how weak she was, though she had to admit she never expected him to be such a good fighter, and somehow she had found herself comparing him with a soldier, not the same kind of soldier she had to defend her pokemon from, but the kind she had seen opposing the Black Moon.

"Wu-man, stop that and let her do her job." The hyper braided boy turned to her and smiled "We're here to have lunch indeed. Lunch for six, seven if you want to join us?" he wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she felt herself giggle.

The boy had a thing to flirt with everything he found in his way, even when he was training with his pokemon, though it all changed when he battled with someone else. He was pretty serious when it came to pokemon battles, and Makoto had found it the hard way when she had challenged him for a small friendly battle.

"Sorry but I'm still working and my lunch time isn't until two hours from now. So what can I get you guys?"

"Blissey, Bliss" she looked at the small creature as it bounced towards her. She kneeled and accepted the embrace of the soft pink nurse. It really was a shame that Electrike couldn't walk around with her inside of the restaurant, because now it would really be good to know what Blissey was blabbering about.

She heard Usagi laugh openly "She really likes you Mako-chan. She missed your presence yesterday." And like always, the girl talked as if she knew what the small creature said and felt.

Letting Blissey go she returned to writing down what they wanted to eat "Sorry but I was really busy yesterday, I had to do a double-shift in the kitchen." She sighed.

She had forgotten how hard it was to pay all the bills, and finally having a small apartment for her own had somehow helped relieve that tension and stress.

"Are you going to participate in the Coliseum battles in four days?" she looked at the owner of the deep voice, his Prussian eyes still smouldering and dangerous. He was always direct to the point, even when challenging her for a battle. Nothing of the small talks of hellos and nice to meet you, it was always the plain old let's battle.

She smiled; in his own way he knew how to show that he cared, just like she had her own way of showing people that she wanted to be alone, or for the correct reason, that she wanted company. She could always see a certain sparkle of interest in his eyes when she battled with Ash and Duo, or when she was helping prepare food at the shrine.

Yet she also noticed a slight glint of weariness and secrecy every time she set her feet on what was now known as her hang out place. Not only from him, but also from all the others that were open to her. She had a slight suspicion that they had secrets that they didn't want to share with her, and she didn't mind that, since she had secrets herself.

She believed that those secrets had something to do with the Preventors. No one knew the identity of all the Preventors, but it wasn't a secret; it was more like a cautious business, she thought, so that any remains of the Black Moon wouldn't seek some sort of revenge. Lylicove was the last base of the Preventors when the war had been brought to an end, and it was no secret either that many of the soldiers had opted to stay and live there.

"Are you kidding me? If I didn't decide to participate, Medicham and Electrike wouldn't let me hear the end of it." She breathed exasperatedly.

"Wouldn't let you hear the end of it?" Ash cocked an eyebrow at her.

She chuckled nervously "Yeah. You know, literally." He nodded at her answer, and she felt herself breath more calmly. Was he supposed to catch up to that little incident? Her sentence could have any meaning, why did he have to read it letter by letter?

She accepted their orders and went to get their drinks, painfully aware of the dark gaze that was following her. His dark onyx eyes always had a strange effect on her, and in many occasions she felt herself seeking peacefulness in the presence of the legendary trainer. In him and the others she had found friends, but she still felt herself pushing them away, has her wish to stay alone screamed louder than her dream of friendship.

She didn't want them to get in trouble with her, nor did she wish to lose control of her powers like that time so long ago, but like Treecko had said "You can't create a bond without the knowledge that it might hurt you, for friendship is a double-edged sword." Those had been his words when she had refused their invitation for a dinner at the shrine.

Somehow, his words had made her accept the invitation and she had had the best time of her life. One thing she had learned on that night, because the miko couldn't hold her tongue when the sake clouded her reason, was that Wufei's father had joined the Black Moon and tried to give Rei into their dirty schemes.

She had no idea why her adoptive father would have given Rei to the Black Moon, and she hadn't had opportunity to ask, because Wufei had taken her to her room with Usagi trailing behind him and excusing herself. Since then she had the slight idea that it was a delicate manner, she hadn't touched the subject ever again.

"Here are your drinks. Someone else will bring your food over, since my boss is ordering me to move into the kitchen, it seems the chef isn't feeling well." She smiled at them again and continued "Tomorrow I have the day free, so I'll see you then."

She turned around to go into the kitchen when the soft voice of the pink humanoid reached her ears "Blissey, Blissey, Bliss."

"Oh yeah. Hey Mako-chan, what about a picnic tomorrow?" she turned to Usagi and nodded, making the girl smile like the sun in all its glorious radiance "We'll pick you up at noon, make sure to be ready."

"I'll make something for the picnic, so that you guys don't have all the trouble, and anyways, Electrike eats more food than there is to eat." She replied.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, because I don't want to spend the day eating those pieces of coal my sister calls cookies." Ash started laughing when Usagi slapped his arm and stuck her tongue out at him as the others agreed with the statement, making the blond pout with indignation.

She felt herself chuckling at the heart-warming scene in front of her. Maybe her life could have been like that if her adoptive parents hadn't died or if they had had a son of their own. Who knew where she would have been on this day?

"Well, see you guys then." And she resumed her walk to the kitchen, her friends waving and saying goodbye to her retreating back.

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Ash sat in one of the cushions in the living room of the shrine. Heero was in the room as well, working with his poke-navigator. How long had it been since he joined the Preventors? He had been thirteen years old when his sister was targeted by the Black Moon, the time when he was trying to go around the world with Brock and Misty to become a better trainer.

Usagi had been the same age has him and she was travelling with them. She was so innocent and carefree that she hadn't noticed they wanted her because of what she was able to do. She had cried so much when Togepi was killed, that he was sure her cries would tear the world apart on that day.

It still made his blood boil the fact that there were people who could make the innocent creatures bleed. The Black Moon wasn't just content with knocking pokemon out of consciousness, they had to kill them and steal them of the essence that made them what they were.

He had been in the finals at the Johto League when that incident happened, and most of the trainers had been at the mercy of the soldiers and their pokemon. Their pokemon were different, as Usagi had said at the time, they had a dark aura around them, and their actions didn't come from the heart, for at the time they lacked one.

The Preventors had appeared on that time, since it seemed the Legendary trainers of the League were part of the organisation and they had called for backup. That was the time when he had met a fifteen-year-old Heero and Duo, and a sixteen-year-old Wufei.

That was also the time when the Preventors had seen what Usagi was able to do, and he got to know how Usagi had the powers she had and what she was, for it seemed that the Preventors knew more than what they led the people to believe. That was the time when that dreaded event took place and she was unable to save Togepi. It had been five years since then.

"What do you think of the girl?" he snapped his gaze up to the owner of the Prussian eyes that were watching him with interest.

"About Makoto?" he knew that the soldier could only be talking about the girl in question, since they hadn't met anyone new but her. Heero nodded at his question "Think of what about her?" he was puzzled now.

"Don't you find it a little bit strange that she's always very silent when one of her pokemon are with her, and that they seem to share ideas?" where was he trying to go with those suppositions?

"What do you mean?"

"Rei doesn't remember anything of what happened when the Black Moon attacked the town where she met Makoto, almost two years ago. Above all, she states that she's certain that they weren't after her at the time." Was the quiet reply.

"So you think that she's the same as Usagi and Rei? If so, how can you be certain? She hasn't shown any sign of possessing any special trait."

The other just shrugged his shoulders and moved to stand by the window, observing Rei training with Blaziken "I don't know, I was just supposing. After all, don't forget that Usagi and Rei aren't the only ones that have been mentioned, further more, the reports from the laboratories make mention of nine subjects."

He bowed his head in sorrow "I know, and there is nothing we can do to change their fate."

"We can." He looked up at Heero, his eyes darting to the reflection of the perfect soldier on the window "We can keep fighting to prevent anything bad from happening to them, after all the reports did state they are important in what their genes carry."

"Is that the only reason as to why you fight? Because a report says they are important?" his answer was silence, and he smiled at the set expression that was staring back at him.

"You already know that even though the war ended five years ago, the Black Moon hasn't set rest to its actions." Ash nodded at the indirect question "That's why they still go around trying to kill and capture pokemon," Heero paused "I've got notice that the Black Moon is planning something big, and it doesn't help the bad news that they now have a new weapon."

"New weapon?"

"There are no details about the subject, since our source isn't directly connected to those kind of happenings."

"So it was him who gave the information?" he was sure that his supposition was correct.

"Yes, but I'm starting to doubt the information we've been receiving lately. I'm sure he knows more than what he leads on, and if he is planning something that might affect us, things might get messy."

"Do you really believe that Quatre would do that to us?" he really couldn't see the Arabian man backstabbing them. Hell, Quatre had the same innocence and personality that his adopted sister had.

"I also don't know what to think of that, so we can only speculate, but better be prepared for any situation, and we have to keep an eye on Makoto as well." And with that Heero walked out of the room.

He was certain that the brown haired soldier knew something more about Makoto, that or he was suspicious of the girl and didn't want to break the news to his sister and Rei. Even he wished that Heero wouldn't be presuming bad things about the emerald-eyed trainer, for when the perfect soldier had a theory it was rarely wrong.

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The sun had set two hours ago and curious stars were blinking in the sky. Makoto dodged a series of punches directed at her face and stomach, analysing her opponent. She had on some black trousers and a comfortable white long sleeved shirt; her hair had been changed from her normal high ponytail to a braid similar to that of Duo's.

Her boss had given her the night off, and she had left the restaurant four hours ago to do some things at home. She blocked a high jump kick aimed at her head, and countered with some punches of her own. He was releasing all the energy he had been keeping to fight with her when she decided that it was time to start training with her companions again.

It wasn't her fault that Wufei always challenged her to a fight and that she always turned out exhausted from it, and it was even less her fault that he got jealous because he no longer was her only sparring partner.

They had been fighting in the forest out of the town since the sun had set. She had decided to fall to his whims just because she missed the time she spent training with him herself. It was much more rewarding if it was he or she correcting the movements of each other.

One of his flying kicks connected with her stomach and sent her staggering some feet backwards. She watched his laboured breathing that matched her gasps for oxygen, and got up from her fighting stance, her pink clad pokemon mirroring her actions.

"I guess that's enough for sparring today?" she managed out "I don't even want to think of the chaos those two created at home." she shuddered at the thought. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to leave the two hyper pokemon out of their balls and with no one to watch over them.

"_You worry to much, they won't cause any trouble."_ She watched him smirk _"That was a good training session, that Chinese guy must really be good, because it seems to me that some of your techniques have improved quite a bit."_

She cocked an eyebrow at him "Had problems keeping up with me today?" he snorted at her "He is good, really good for that matter." She started walking in the direction of the town, wiping her forehead in a white towel she had in her backpack.

"_Is that why you decided to abandon me, and start taking lessons from him?"_ she looked to her side where he was maintaining pace with her, a deep frown on his normally collected features.

"Do you think that's the only thing you are for me? My sparring partner? My sensei in some way?" she saw his frown deepening at her words. This was his problem; if he felt he wasn't needed anymore, he just gave up.

"Medicham, how important do you think you are to me?" she was just rewarded by his blank stare "Does it still trouble you what happened in the past?" It pained her somehow that his confidence in her was, for lack of a better word, weak. She had to endure so much to get him to trust humans, to trust her, that she thought it had all been forgotten.

"_**Even if you want to forget the past, it doesn't mean you're going to forget it."**_ She looked sadly at him, his pained voice affecting her more than the words he breathed **_"Somehow, the past always tends to catch up to you, be it in memories or dreams."_**

"Do you think I don't know that? You should know better than no one that the past can't be forgotten, but the actions that succeed that past can change everything." She looked softly at him.

"_It won't change the fact that my trainer abandoned me just to save his life."_ She felt surprise has he looked at her in anger _"I would have done everything just to save him, even give myself in, but he did it without hesitation."_ He looked at the ground, his mental voice sounding even more sorrowful _"I would have stayed to fight with him, by his side, I would have given my life to save his. Some part of me wants to hate him for what he did, yet I hate myself even more for not being able to understand."_

"So you think I'm going to do the same thing? You really think I would leave you guys behind, just to save my life?" she saw him looking at her regretfully and pleadingly "It's not your fault. He made his decision, and he lost for that." She paused and sat on her knees, looking into his eyes "He lost his dignity, and without knowing it, he lost a part of him when he left you behind."

She grabbed his shoulders and pushed him towards her, embracing his light and strong body "It's not your fault that they killed him afterwards. There was nothing you could do, and after all, he had died the moment he left you behind, for I know for sure, that once you have a pokemon he is part of you."

He was leaning into her, his exhausted muscles relaxing from the warmth. She didn't hear him cry, and even if she did, she would pretend she didn't hear anything. She was sure of what the image would give to others, a maternal embrace, but she knew beyond everything that her bond with her companions was strong and everlasting.

They had accepted her as a friend and as a companion, but above all, she was their sister and their hope. For her they were a reason to live and her light in the eternal darkness of a world she had learned to call void and empty.

"Just remember your own words," she paused, pushing him to stare into his eyes "the past doesn't determine who you are, but what you decide to do from there onwards. Actions can't be the only thing that characterises someone, nor can their appearance. I've learned that with you." And she smiled at him.

He nodded at her and smiled softly, stepping away from her to continue walking on the path towards their destination. She followed after him silently, enjoying the peacefulness that the night hung above them and bellow the moon.

This situation had never happened before, not to her. He was always so calm and so sure of himself during fights, that sometimes it was hard for her to remember that he had a weak spot. So hurt and bitter had he been when they first crossed paths, that his personality now made it hard to recover that memory.

She entered the town and continued on her way, passing the Pokemon Centre and other places that she had memorized with the help of her new friends. She stopped by the fountain and looked upon the silvery reflection of the moon in the water. Medicham jumped on to the ledge and sat down.

"_Have you already decided on a strategy for the fights in four days?"_ he inquired, closing his eyes in his usual meditative state.

"**I'm still not sure of who'll participate, but one thing is for sure, Rei and Ash will. I've already fought with Rei a couple of times during this past two weeks and she's changed a lot since the last time we had the honour of facing Blaziken."**

Looking up at the statue of the legendary pokemon that were said to have created the land and the seas, she continued, **"Ash has many strong pokemon, but the one we have to be careful with is Pikachu. Even if he is an electrical type we can't risk it, because you know that my influence in Electrike will affect him."**

"_If you could control your effect on pokemon when you're around them, than everything would be fine, but unfortunately you don't only affect your pokemon, but also those of others."_ He paused _"We're just going to have to get used to it, and it's not like we're weak or anything, way beyond that." _She watched him smirk and get up, ready to leave.

Smiling, she turned around to follow him, but stopped shortly as a ball of fire sent her flying some feet away from the place she had come from. She distinctly heard Medicham run her way and skid to a halt by her side to help her stand up.

"What the heck?" she looked at her stomach to see bits of her shirt gone and some darkened by the fire. She had somehow activated some of her powers at the last moment, which prevented her from getting serious injuries, but it sure hurt.

"_Makoto, are you alright?"_ she nodded at him _"Then get up, because our enemy isn't a trainer."_ She stared at him in surprise, silently asking a question to which he confirmed her fear _"I saw something humanoid and I guess we're up to someone like that guy back in the forest."_

"**Great, just great. Another guy with freaky pokemon powers and humanoid appearance."** She was looking at an alley entrance, where she knew the attack had come from and from there a woman with fiery hair came out.

"You are to came with me." Her voice sounded like an eternal echo, and looking into her glowing red eyes, Makoto knew that this person was very different from the man she had fought against in the woods.

"Who made you believe that I would go with you, and what the heck do you want from me?" Medicham was already in front of her, one knee bent in the air and his little arms stretched by his sides, his favourite offensive position set for an attack.

"That is my business alone, and I will not fail where that idiot did." That said, the woman charged at her. Her body had become a dark colour and her knuckles and feet were covered in flames, making a strange contrast with her fiery hair.

"_I'll fight this one Mako, just give the orders and I'll take care of her."_ She nodded at his proposition even though his back was turned to her.

"Medicham, Double Kick." She watched as his attack connected with the defensive arms of his opponent, and both of them were sent away from each other. The woman didn't have any scratch on her, but Medicham had slight burnt marks on his legs.

"Fire Punch" as soon as she heard the roar from the woman's attack she directed Medicham to perform a Jump Kick. Both attacks collided with each other, her pokemon's move striked the woman in the face, while her punch connected with his lower stomach.

"**Medicham, are you ok?"** she was worried, after all it hadn't been that much time since they stopped training, and she was sure he still had injuries from said actions. She saw him move away from his opponent and nod, while the woman cleaned some blood from her shin.

"I don't have time for games. My orders are to take you in and kill whomever stands in the way, so if you don't want to see him dead I'll advise you to move him away." The blazing red eyes were directed at her, and she felt fear crawl from her core.

She could just stare at the woman as Medicham started attacking her on his own whim, assaulting from Low Kicks to Jump Kicks _"Makoto, what are you doing? There's no time to daydream."_ She could just stare. Where had her courage gone? Where had her wish to never see her pokemon bleed again, dispersed to?

She felt tears well up as the woman made a Fire Spin and five consecutive hits connect with Medicham, sending him flying into a building and a crack forming in the concrete wall as he slid onto the floor. She felt desperate as the woman approached her fallen comrade, her knuckles blazing for another possible Fire Punch.

'_It won't change the fact that my trainer abandoned me just to save his life.'_ His words from before were like an echo in her mind. Was she more afraid of loosing her life, than that of her friends? Was she going to let him go? _'I would have stayed to fight with him, by his side, I would have given my life to save his.'_

She dashed in his direction as the fiery woman charged to punch the fallen pokemon on the floor. The next thing she knew, she was coughing up blood and her stomach burned like liquid fire. She stared into the red eyes that were looking with surprise at her, and grabbing the offensive arm by the wrist, she started standing up from her kneeled position.

Putting her own hand on the woman's chest, she let an electrical impulse go, the woman flying away from them "I can't…" she coughed up a little more blood, and her knees followed the force of gravity playing with the red substance that descended upon the earth.

"_Mako… what are you doing?"_ she saw him sitting up, from the corner of her eye _"This is my fight,"_ he grunted, _"look at you."_

She whizzed and tried to clean the blood away, a task that proved difficult with both her shaking arms supporting her kneeling figure "Do you really think I'm like your trainer?" she coughed "I'm not going to let you go so easily, we still have lots of fights to win." She smirked at him, her teasing smile looking more pained than anything.

"_Baka…" _he came to her side and kneeled beside her _"I know that, but look at you, what are we going to do now? I don't have any strength left, and neither have you."_

"Such a touching scene, but I'm slightly sorry to announce that this is the end of the road for you two." She was cursing the woman with all the strength she still had left in her aching body.

The stranger stretched her hands and she saw a red ball of fire gather in between them. She guessed that this was it. The glowing ball of red fire roaring towards them, she did the only thing she could still do, she pushed Medicham away and closed her eyes, waiting for the oncoming attack.

"Earthquake!" she looked up in surprise only to see a giant rock blocking her view, and felt a slight vibration in the ground. She pushed herself from the ground, her curiosity giving her some sort of strength, and peeking from above the rock she saw a big Aggron standing firmly in front of the dissipating form of the woman.

She stepped away from the rock and joined Medicham, both of them staring in slight hesitation at the impressive figure. The remaining ashes from the woman were flying in the wind, and the ground showed the signs of the attack that had taken place.

She looked around for any signs of the trainer that had ordered the attack, and saw a tall blond figure standing at one of the sides of the fountain. The place where the figure stood was dark, but by her side she could distinctly see the figure of someone shorter. The other figure looked feminine, with short hair that reflected aquamarine and silver colours from the impact of the moonlight.

"Aggron, come back." she watched the brown rock type pokemon returningto his pokeball, and then she looked at the two people that were now evaluating her.

"I hope everything is ok.We weren't sure if you would need help, so we just interviened when things started looking grim." The aquamarine girl's voice was soft, and in it she found a caring tone along side one of strenght. She just nodded in the direction of the girl, and her throat felt unconfortably dry, stoping any of her impending questions to be openly voiced.

How much of the fight had they seen? "See if you're more careful next time, because you won't always have someone to protect your back." The deep voice of the blond figure made her glare at the ground "A trainer who can't maintain his pokemon alive, is not worthy of being alive himself, and do try to maintain yourself alive because there are people who need your help."

She couldn't budge and neither was Medicham trying to stop them from walking away. They didn't make mention to the display of her strange powers and neither did they mention anything about the strange woman.

The short woman turned around and smiled at her "We hope you can help us save Hotaru, and don't mind what Haruka said, but never hesitate to finish of any of your opponents if they are like this one that you saw moments ago, for they are not the same as you." And then she disapeared in the same direction of her companion.

_"Makoto?"_ she turned in the direction of her home and started walking.

**"We'll talk tomorrow. I want to treat your injuries and mine at home, there are some potions there. Electrike and Treecko are probably worried by now."** That said, he followed in her steps, both of them to tired to talk and busy swimming around their thoughts, leaving behind the scars of the fight and the strange meeting.

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**I know it was boring, but gomen, because I had to start filling you guys about certain things and situations, even though there is still much to be said. Anyway, next chapter is the picnic and a few revelations from Mako to Pikachu, and other things in between. Thanks again for the support and ja ne. ;-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone, I'm back. Lol, I'm sure lots of you people are groanning right about now, but Cest la vie mon amie. Anyways, thanks to you all for the nice reviews and the positive support, it really is howsome of your part to review a noobie. This chapter is dedicated to JPands since I was owing her one, hope you enjoy it JPands-san. By the way, I've noticed I've been forgeting to had my disclaimers so if I do forget any other time, just remember nothing is mine untill I say the complete oposite.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, though I would do anything to have a Lugia or an Electrike (so, so childish)**

**Once again:**

"Speech..." - normal

**"Speech..."** - trainers talking mentaly with pokemon (only some trainers have this privilege)

_"Speech..."_ - pokemon talking mentaly

**_"Speech..."_** - pokemon talking loudly and being understanded by those who can understand (to trainers who can't understand it will sound like the same old thing, like for example "Pikachu, Pika, Pi..." ') (hehe maybe it sounds stupid)

**Hope you enjoy...**

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**Chapter 05**

It would be interesting if one could pull himself in and out of dreams. A wonderer who would keep his being inside dreams as silky as the silvery glows of the moon and away from dreams as dark and cold as the glowing dark fur of an Absol. Makoto wished with all her being to be one of these wonderers.

She had spent all of her life until now, drifting from good dreams to nightmares, and from memories to illusions. No matter how much it hurt to wake up to reality, she preferred to have good dreams and to see illusions than to have to face what had been and couldn't be changed.

It was in moments like these that her unconscious cried to the skies or whomever controlled dreams, to give her an illusion instead of a memory, that no matter how sweet it started, would turn bitter. Even if her older self tried to run away, her younger and dream like form was unaware of the finale of what was to happen.

She was giggling with excitement and giddiness. Her parents would be arriving on that day, and there was nothing more warming than to see her mother's loving gaze and her father's handsome smile. She squeezed her tiny friend even closer to her soft sundress. No more loneliness or boring nanny for her and Electrike.

_"Mako-chan... air..." _she giggled in embarrassment at her friend's request. She loved him for all of what he was and what he meant to her. He had been a gift from her parents, a gift that had been given to her a week before they left on their business trip. She had no friends until she had met him.

She put him on the floor and ran out of her house to the front lawn, her eternal green friend trailing behind her until she stopped at the small lake that was part of her house. Her tiny legs made her sit with her knees bent, while her baby Electrike sat on them and her six year old hands played with the water. From the corner of her emerald eyes she saw the large figure of her nanny that seeped an aura of ancient kindness. The old woman was probably maintaining an eye on her so she wouldn't jump into the water and ruin her green sundress.

"Mom and dad will be here by noon probably. I can't wait to see them again." she closed her eyes in silent merriment and directed her face at the skies, her wet hands poised over the soft fur of her pokemon.

_"Yeah, and no more crazy old lady trying to force dog food down my mouth." _he opened his muzzle in a boring yawn full of annoyance. She chuckled at the memory of her carer trying to feed the lazy wolf with dog food. She didn't know why someone who had lived all their life in a world full of pokemon, would try to feed one with the normal ration that was given to domestic animals, but she had a slight suspicion that it was old age what was getting the woman, just like her father had pointed out to her mother.

"When do you think they'll let me go to the park and play with everyone else?" She couldn't understand why her beloved parents wouldn't let her mix with other kids. It just couldn't register in her young mind that her parents were overprotective and wanted to guard her from the world behind the walls of her home.

"What about tomorrow, when mommy, you and me finish our reunion shopping?" Her eyes widened when she felt two strong arms grab her middle and pull her up, Electrike jumping of her in the process. She giggled when the familiar warmth and smell registered in her brain, her arms automatically wrapping around the tanned neck of her father.

"You're home! I didn't even see the car entering." she squealed, tugging at his short hair when he released a deep chuckle.

"I guess you were to much into your conversation with Electrike." She pouted and he laughed again. Her parents knew that she was able to talk with her pokemon, it was never a secret after all she was able to talk with her father's Machamp since she had met him. Strangely enough, she thought, she wasn't able to talk with her mother's Beautifly, and even stranger, she believed, it seemed her parents couldn't talk with any of the pokemon or understand them.

"Where's mom?" She looked behind him to see if her dark haired mother was there and then at the porch of the house, just to confirm that she was nowhere in sight "She didn't come?" That couldn't be it, she had heard him saying that they would all go out tomorrow.

"She's already in the house dismissing your nanny. I volunteered to come and get you when we saw you here, so lets not make her wait too long Princess." She smiled and nodded, feeling him turn around and walk towards the house, she looked down at Electrike who was happily following them.

She never felt so happy in all of her young life. The colours of the playground in the park were like a rainbow after a long day of water falling from the endless heavens. There were so many kids her age, some older and other younger that she didn't know of a way to approach them. She and her parents had left the mall some time ago and they had left her and Electrike waiting for them in the park, while they went to get some ice cream.

_"So... are we going to wait here all day or are you going to talk with them?" _She looked down at him with an uncertain expression. Looking up at a group of boys and girls playing with a ball, she tried to muster up the courage to approach them.

"I don't know... What if they don't want to talk with me? What if they don't like me? I'm kind of afraid..." He looked sympathetically at her and she bit her lip, turning around to go wait for her parents at the entrance of the park "Lets go, this was a bad idea from the start..." She still remembered her nanny saying that some of the kids could be really cruel. Bending down to pick up her friend she stopped when a ball hit her in the back.

Makoto looked at the ball on the ground and then in front of her, where the six kids were looking at her. Smiling nervously at them, she caught the ball and went in their direction "I think this is yours." She passed the ball at the first girl that extended her hands to accept it, and smiled when she thanked.

"Are you new around here?" Directing her eyes to the speaker, she saw a tall boy with blackish hair looking sideways at her, and by his stance she was pretty sure that he was some kind of lieder "I'm sure I never saw you around." She heard him mutter. That caused her to blush. What was she supposed to tell them? That her parents tried to maintain her away from other kids without any reason?

"I moved a couple of months ago, but I haven't really gotten out that much." She replied while shuffling nervously with her feet. It wasn't a complete lie, she hadn't been living in her new house for that long. Electrike was looking at her expectantly, she noted, and he was completely silent.

"How come you have a pokemon? You look so young." He stated.

"He was a present from my parents."

"I see. Hey you want to play with us?" She looked hopefully at him and then nodded. It hadn't been that difficult, she thought, he had been the one to invite her to play with them. After he explained the rules and that Electrike would have to be left out of the game, which made her feel bad, they resumed their activities.

After five minutes into the game, her playmates started to show their skills. It was like some sort of competition where each one of them made something in which they were good at. Some pretended they were boxers, others did summersaults and there were even those who imitated the voices of different pokemon. When it came to her turn, they turned to her waiting and she knew exactly what to show them; her parents had been surprised when she first showed it to them.

Joining her hands and closing her eyes for concentration, she let that familiar rush of power be directed at her hands, and when she finally opened them she let a prideful smile grace her lips. There in between her hands was a small ball of green electricity that danced and shacked with the uncertainty so familiar to that of the storms that graced the skies at times. She looked up at her peers, just to feel the smile on her face falling and the ball of electricity dissipate like a blown out candle.

"What are you? How... how can..." All around her, similar questions were being asked and frightened stares were being thrown her way. She could only squeeze Electrike, who had jumped at her as soon as she started feeling uncomfortable, to her chest while accusing stares were thrown her way. Her newly acquainted and lost friends started moving away from her and leaving the park until she felt completely alone.

Sitting herself on a bench, she let sobs shake her body and tears open ways down her rosy cheeks _"Mako-chan, please. Don't cry, you make me want to cry that way." _She tried rubbing the tears away and apologised, but no matter what they still came, and every time they came even stronger. She didn't want to cry, because she knew she had Electrike and she would always have him, but the stares they had been giving her made her heart burn uncomfortably.

"You shouldn't be crying just because you're different." She looked in surprise at a pair of blue eyes that were looking gently at her "There are many different things, but sometimes it's harder to accept some of those things than others." Observing the girl that was crouched in front of her, she noticed her short blue hair and she guessed that her speaker was the same age as herself.

"Did you see what I did?" The girl nodded at her question and said her name, though somehow she hadn't heard it and yet she had "Don't you think I'm a freak?" The girl looked startled at her.

"If I was to think that you are a freak, than what would I have to call myself?" She directed a quizzical look at the blue haired girl and she smiled "Don't tell this to anyone, but... I can talk with some pokemon and I have a power that is similar to yours..." She winked at Makoto and trusted her palm forwards, were moments after a nice sculpture of a Pikachu appeared.

Taking the nice object formed of ice in her hands, she stared in awe at the different lights reflected by the sun on the shiny surface. It felt cold and soothing in her hands "It's beautiful! How did you do it?"

The girl got up on her feet and winked once again "It was magic. Keep it and don't worry, it will never melt." She watched as the other waved at her and started walking away "I have to go now, but I hope to see you around." She nodded hastily at the departing figure and looked once again at her gift, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes once again.

_"Mako-chan, don't start crying again..."_ She stopped him from continuing by embracing him tightly.

"Don't worry Electrike, I'm not crying because I'm sad... I guess I feel better by knowing there is someone like me..."

_"I would prefer it if you were the only one special, at least I'd be the only pokemon with a special trainer." _She laughed at his statement.

"Makoto! Makoto what's wrong dear?" She looked up to see the red eyes of her mother, her father right behind. Cleaning the tears away, she explained to them what had happened with the kids that she had been playing with, hiding the strange meeting with someone that had powers similar to hers. She had promised the girl, if not in words, silently, that she would keep it a secret.

"Tell me..." She felt tears threaten to fall "Do you think I'm a freak? A monster?" Lips quivering and body shaking with upcoming sobs, she let her face fall to the ground, her eyes blurring the different stones.

They sat at her side, her mother on the left and her father on the right with Electrike poised on his legs. She didn't want to look at them; she had probably misinterpreted their emotions when she had looked at them the first time her strange powers had made an appearance. They probably hated her for being weird, maybe that was the reason why they had told her they weren't her real parents. That she had still to understand.

Soft fingers pulling her face upwards and to the left, she met the blazing eyes of her mother. Maybe she didn't deserve the warmth that leaked from that eternal flame she had learnt to associate with her mother. A gentle thumb brushed the tears from her cheeks and soft lips grazed her forehead.

"We love you from the bottom of our hearts," her mother smiled "and you'll always be our special little girl. We love Makoto for what she is and what she'll always be for us, even Electrike loves Makoto for what she is, I'm sure of it." Her little friend barked in agreement and they all laughed. She felt content like never before, her chest swelling with pride for having them with her.

"Well, we were planning on giving this to you later on, but I think now is the most appropriate time." She looked at her father while he retrieved a small box from his pocket "We got these from our trip, and since you are our little rose bud, why not compliment your nice rosy cheeks?"

She could just stare at the most beautiful pair of rose earrings that her father presented her with. Her mother took them from the box and clipped them onto her tiny ears, offering a gentle smile when she looked for approval in her eyes. Feeling the soft metallic surface of her new objects of affection, she squealed and threw her arms at each of her parents.

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Soft rays of sunlight were pouring through her light curtains and she groaned when they hit her face. Looking at her clock she noticed that there wasn't much time left for her friends to pick her up, so she stretched her sore body and got up.

Her tummy still hurt from the injuries of the battle at the town fountain, but after a thoroughly examination at the full-length mirror in her bathroom she noticed that most part of the burns were gone. She was always a fast healer the problem was the soreness that came with the wounds.

Taking a long shower to try and erase the longing feeling left by her dream, she dressed up with some black Capri pants and a green tank-top, her usual sneakers never forgotten. Her lazy pokemon were still sleeping when she passed to the kitchen, and she was relieved to see that she had managed to get everything ready the night before, despite her injuries.

Treecko and Electrike were worried sick when they got home, and she could almost swear they would have passed out after seeing the injuries, but everything had been explained and the wounds had been treated, hers with bandages and Medicham's with potions and bandages. Speaking of which, he was now in front oh her, sitting on the chair opposite of hers.

He looked at the basket _"It's all ready?" _She nodded and got up to see his bandages _"You can take them out, it's all healed already." _And she did, after inspecting if they were completely healed and confirming he didn't have any burns. The rest of her companions soon joined her at the table and they enjoyed some peaceful morning talk.

The incident from last night had been discussed and they had decided to forget it for the time being, since she still didn't know anything about the people that had appeared nor of those strange individuals that were attacking her. She knew even less about Hotaru, but even without anyone asking she had already decided that she wanted to help the young girl, that was, as soon as she saw her again, be it in dreams or out of them.

She fingered the small pink earrings that she had packed away a long time ago. She had always used them, at least after the death of her parents and until the incident at the orphanage. After that, she had dignified them of being to good for her to wear, but after seeing her parents again, she wasn't so sure anymore.

She saw green fingers take the earrings away just to clip them on her ears _"They look more beautiful where they are now, don't you think?" _She smiled at her green companion, and thanked him silently for doing what she knew she wouldn't be able to do.

_"I missed seeing you with them on, it kind of brings back memories, good memories." _Said Electrike.

"I guess you're right, and I missed using them." She heard the bell ring and went to get their pokeballs "It must be them so come back in, I'll let you out at the park." Electrike was saying goodbye to his partners when she turned to him "You too Electrike. I don't want you messing with Wufei again." She laughed when he huffed and called him in.

When she opened the door, she tried with all her might to control the blush that was threatening to overtake her cheeks. Ash was there, on his side with his hands in his pockets, looking at the long corridor in front of him. He had long dark jeans and a nice blue shirt that clung to his lean and strong figure. She remembered seeing pictures of him when he was younger in magazines, but the person that stood in front of her was... simply irresistible.

He turned to her and grinned nervously "You look good. Are you ready to go?" She just stood there staring at his onyx eyes until the burning sensation on her cheeks was unbearable.

Clearing her throat, she got her sudden dry mouth to talk "Where is everyone?"

"They went on first to set things up and to get a nice spot."

She nodded and excused herself to get everything, and when she returned with the basket, he offered to take it for her, which with much hesitation and uncontrollable blushes she passed to him. They smiled and went in the direction of the park.

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"Oh, come on, that's not fair Smeargle." She full out laughed as the green painted tail of the weasel like pokemon brushed against the face of a very annoyed and satisfied Duo Maxwell. Duo had spent most of the morning fooling around with the pokemon, which meant that he had spent the whole morning annoying everyone's pokemon with his by painting them in the most ridiculous way.

It seemed that Smeargle was as much as a mischievous creature as was his trainer. He liked to leave his mark on his victims just has much as Duo loved to leave his mark on the girls he flirted with, although normally the last one was the one who ended with a mark on his face, be it from a slap or a bag to the head.

Those who were sane enough not to join in the game that the braided youth had created were seated on the blankets eating different types of food. Ash was seated by her side laughing at the funny scene Duo and Usagi created with his Smeargle and the other pokemon, respectively her Treecko and Electrike, Usagi's Blissey, Ash's Pikachu, Heero's Machop and Wufei's Mawile.

Medicham was seated in a small group with Rey's Blaziken and Hitmonlee and Wufei's Tyrogue, talking like they belonged to another world. It was a bit difficult pretending like she didn't understand anything and trying to maintain herself away from the talk about fighting moves and combat techniques.

Rey was talking with Heero and Wufei about the Coliseum battles that would be in three days. Heero's Arcanine was sleeping peacefully by the temperamental miko's side, blissfully unaware of the chaos that Duo was creating and the conversation between the other pokemon.

She grabbed her tummy, which was hurting with so much laughter; the soreness still made her a little uncomfortable, and that didn't help her uncontrollable desire to laugh at her electric pokemon's predicament. Smeargle was currently painting his luscious green fur in a sickly colour of a different green.

His escape was impossible since Usagi and Duo were holding him down and laughing like madmen at his helpless attempts of escape. It almost made her pity her friend, almost, but she guessed his struggle attempts could work as training for, if the time came, when he found himself in a difficult situation.

"Poor guy, I wouldn't want to be in his place." She looked at Ash who was observing Electrike with a grim expression.

"I'm assuming you already experienced what he is experiencing right now?" She cocked an amused eyebrow at him.

He chuckled at her, which made her spine tingle at the deep sound, and rubbed his head "Yeah, and it took a hell of a lot of time to get it out." She looked in alarm back at her pokemon. Treecko was beyond recognition, but he wouldn't mind a bath, the problem was Electrike, after all he was an electric pokemon and baths didn't really go with him.

She regretted the first time she tried giving him a bath, because even she could feel the effect of electricity if her body was covered in water, which at the time had been completely soaked, even her clothes. She observed her short friend and decided that she was still in time of preventing a large-scale catastrophe. Getting up from the warm blanket she ran in the direction of her distressed partner and snatched him away from the clutches of her mad friends.

"I think Electrike has played a fair share today, so what about some rest?" She laughed nervously at Duo and Usagi who were looking at her with maniacal grins on their faces. The wolf yelped and ran away as soon as the two mischievous youths started walking in her direction "Okay guys… you can stop now…"

She could hear Ash laughing like there was nothing better to do, and she was sure he was laughing at her mortified expression, the little devil. She almost yelped when her back hit the tree trunk and the tall Smeargle started waving his tail at her, like an artist about to make the piece of art of his life.

The only thing she felt was a soft and wet object brush against her face and then the top of her bare arms. The tingling sensation of his painting tail almost made her fall into a fit of giggles, but even if it didn't she felt herself laugh with everyone around her. Wufei was bonking Duo on his head, telling him something about not being able to control his playful urges, but the Chinese man was laughing nonetheless.

Rey was too far into her discussion with Usagi to notice that she was laughing until the point of creating tears, and Heero was by their side with a serene smile on his face. Straightening from the tree trunk and releasing her sides that she had been holding to try and control her fit, she excused herself from the others and went in the direction of the lake, to have a close look at her new tattoo and try to clean it while it was still fresh.

The water was crystal clear, and she could see the green drawing clearly. Her arms had tribal drawings on them and her face had various markings as well as an upward half moon. Smiling at the image she started cleaning her arms first, the green paint slipping rather easily from her creamy skin.

Her right arm cleaned, she moved to the left one, applying the same method and pressure. It wasn't difficult and it didn't even leave a mark, so it really didn't bother her, and after all she hadn't laughed like that in a long while. She smiled again at the remembrance and hummed softly.

When she doubled over the river to clean her face, she felt a soft cloth rub both her arms. She gasped and was about to throw her arm back to fend off who had surprised her, until she noticed Ash with a soft pink towel. He laughed at her surprised face and her face heated up with embarrassment. And to think she was going to smack him, now that would be embarrassing.

"Rey always brings a towel or two when we go on picnics. It wasn't the first time Usagi and Duo started doing mischief on one of us." He offered, "Heero was the first one to suffer at their hands."

She laughed at him and continued scrubbing her face with the water, not making a comment at the young trainer that was still drying her arms. It felt too good for her to ask him to stop. When she finished washing her face, he was sitting by her side and looking at her ears.

"Something wrong?" She asked while he handed her the towel.

"I never saw you with earrings, and those look specially good on you." She let one of her hands toy with the small rose on her left side "Somehow they make your eyes more… enticing."

She blushed at the comment and her hands stopped drying her face when she noticed the dazed look on his face. Did he know what he was saying? "My parents gave them to me when I was still little." Contemplating her eyes with his blazing obsidian ones, she tried ignoring the feeling they made on her soul.

"What happened to them?"

Repressing the sad memories she was able to answer in two words "They died." And she was glad when he didn't press the subject, opting for just nodding and taking the towel out of her hands. Brushing a strand of loose hair, she started getting up until his firm hand pulled her down and she almost stumbled on top of him.

He only smiled when she looked startled at him. They were too close for her comfort, and maybe she did feel comfortable, for if she didn't she was sure her eyes wouldn't have settled on his soft looking lips.

"You missed a spot." Shaking her head, she refocused her irises on his and lifted a delicate eyebrow, to which he only laughed, "Let me." Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed the cloth and started cleaning whatever remains of paint that were left.

She could feel his eyes roving her face ever so slowly and when they stopped at her lips, she felt them so dry that she couldn't stop passing her tongue slightly over them. She didn't know when the towel had been dropped, but she didn't care, for she preferred his light fingers tracing the roundness of her face many times over.

Ash fingered one of her earrings and his thumbs brushed over her cheeks, such a velvety touch that she couldn't stop her eyelids from dropping. He was so tender that it made her heart ache, and she found it impossible to stop her head from leaning in ever so slightly, accepting what her soul longed for.

If someone asked her if she regretted opening her eyes again, Makoto would have to deny it, because she could see in his endless depths a flame burning, a flame she felt in her heart, and yet in the midst of it all she could see her mind questioning these strange feelings.

Was it wrong of her to wish his promising lips on hers? If so, it seemed he didn't mind at all, for his lips were leaning in, in search of her rosy ones. His breath was warm on her face and she could only imagine the warmth that would spread on her entire body just from a light brush.

Her hands were about to snake behind his neck when a loud shout from the direction of their friends made her scramble back, face red beyond recognition "Ash it's time to eat." That had been Usagi's voice, and she thanked Kami for the fact that it sounded far away, because she didn't know what to do if her friend had seen the almost kiss.

Knowing Usagi, she would probably spend the time torturing her and teasing, which would probably lead to Duo finding out and chaos ensuing. She bit her lip when Ash scrambled to his feet and shouted back.

Picking the towel up she raised her form from the grass and turned to smile at him, her cheeks slightly pink from the awkward situation "We should go back or else they'll think we disappeared for good." She felt somehow relieved when she noticed a slight dust of pink covering his nose.

When he nodded they returned to the spot where everyone was seated and eating already. Electrike was trying to compete with the calm Arcanine to see who could eat more food from the plate, she felt her head shake in resignation at the knowledge that her friend was such a pig at times.

"What took you guys so long?" Sitting besides the bubbly blonde, it was Ash who answered the question from her right.

"The paint was more hard to get out than what it seemed." And that statement made her blush like nothing. Yeah sure, the paint was really hard to get off… Somehow the blonde just smiled wickedly and muttered a soft 'oh'.

The rest of the lunch was rather eventful. Some talked about the coming battles and others about trainers that were rising to fame. It made them all quite involved in mindless discussions, and she had to stop herself from just staring at Heero who had decided that that was the best opportunity to start an enquiry.

"You never told us from where you come. Even Rey doesn't know it." Was it important? What could she tell? She only remembered her life starting from her fourth year of age, and that had been when she was given to her parents, which weren't her biological ones.

"I'm not sure, but as far as I'm concerned I was brought up in a small village somewhere in Kanto." There was not much to consider, and she liked to believe that her life had started when she was four.

"What about your parents?" That had come from Wufei, who was busy munching on a sandwich. Ash visibly stiffened by her side, his eyes on the Chinese man.

"What about them?" She asked.

"What do they think of their daughter travelling around all on her own? Or are they too busy? That's what I meant onna."

He was such an ass sometimes, and he was even looking boringly at her "My **adoptive** parents **died** in a car crash when I was six." She couldn't help the hardening of her voice, or the emphasis she made on the words 'died' and 'adoptive'.

Everyone had gone eerily quiet around her, some surprised at the discovery and others by her cold voice, she guessed. She could feel the eyes of her pokemon on her, but she couldn't dignify herself to look at them, not even at them, so she decided to continue in a softer voice.

"My mother worked as a helper in a laboratory somewhere and my father was a soldier from the installations. They had an accident when they were returning home from one of their business trips. They weren't requested to spend a lot of time there, only when a major project was in view."

Duo swallowed in hard and was about to talk when Electrike jumped over him and stole his hat "Hey, give that back."

"I'll go and get him. Be right back." And she ran into the trees where her little green wolf had ran to, unaware that Pikachu had followed her.

She ran a couple of meters until she spotted her friend sitting calmly on a small boulder, Duo's hat gingerly thrown at his paws. Sitting by his side she couldn't help but smile at his concern.

"_Feeling better now?"_

"**I'm okay. There's nothing to be really mad at, since I should've known they would start questioning. Isn't that what friends do to get to know each other?"** He simply nuzzled her hand and bit her.

"_That's for not letting me accompany you on our way here."_ He huffed.

Growling she got up and in front of him, ready to scold, **"It's not my fault. I thought they were all going to meet us at home, and if that had been the case you would have been the entire time attacking Wufei."**

"_It's not like he doesn't deserve it. He's an ass with a too big of an ego."_ He huffed again, cocking his head to the side in disdain.

"**Look who's talking. You are one…"**

"_**You can talk and understand him?"**_ Whipping her head around at the strange voice, she saw Ash's Pikachu looking at her with a hurt expression. She had been caught, and it really hurt her to know he had found it out this way.

"Pikachu I'm…"

"_**You really can understand us."**_ He stated in amazement _**"Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell them? Don't you trust Usagi and Ash?"**_ She could only cringe at his childish and hurtful voice.

"**What would they do? It's not that easy Pikachu, it's easy for pokemon to accept things, but humans are different. Usagi would probably freak out…"**

"_You don't know that. It might even surprise you what she'd probably say to you if she did know the truth. If you can't trust them, can they trust you?"_ She only bit her lip and looked down.

"_**Thing aren't that simple.**_" Electrike had stepped up to talk _"She might be locked up in a laboratory like a lab rat, and I will not accept it. It's not completely her choice to keep it a secret from her friends. Do you think it doesn't hurt to keep secrets from someone you learned to love?"_ He asked.

"_If it hurt that much, she would have tried to tell them. It hurts a bit from my part to know that there was someone who could understand me, and that that person decided to keep it from everyone."_ He turned away, yellow tail swishing in the air.

"_I'm going back, I'm sure everyone will want to go home since it's getting late. Don't worry, your secret will remain a secret until you decide to let it out, but don't maintain them in the dark for to long."_ When he disappeared, she looked back at Electrike and followed the footsteps of the small yellow ball of electricity.

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Ash was getting up to follow the brown-haired trainer when a soft hand stopped him. Usagi was saying no at him with her head and he conformed himself to sit down and wait, while Duo lashed out at Wufei for being so blunt and tactless. It was a strange scene, since it was normally the other way around.

"Why were you guys making those questions all of the sudden? It almost seemed that you were interrogating a prisoner." Rey was looking angrily at Heero, who looked at him and then started pacifying the young miko.

He knew why, and it made him sad. He didn't like the idea that Makoto was someone dangerous who had foul intentions against his sister and everyone. He hopped Pikachu was being able to cheer the girl up, she looked kind of hurt and saddened, and to think he had touched the same subject some moments ago.

That though made him blush. There were to many implications on that situation, and one of those was the fact that he almost kissed her and now he wished he really kissed her. It was to hard for him to ignore her clear green depths and her tantalising lips. Her skin was soft as well, a velvety touch that he wanted to feel again.

"Nice to find you guys here. On a picnic?" Looking up, he saw the blond haired man that belonged to the Preventors. It seemed Quatre had found them and he probably had information, for his smile was too strained.

When Usagi and Rey had stopped their glomping session and the poor man stepped away with his neat hair tousled, the group of five men moved away to talk, leaving the girls at the blankets. Heero didn't like involving Rey and Usagi in these sorts of conversations.

"How have things been going?" He asked.

Quatre only smiled and replied that everything was in control, which meant that his undercover hadn't been discovered.

"I have news. The labs of the Black Moon have let some information leak out." He shoved his arms under his chest, while they all looked attentively "I have some idea of some experiments they have been making. They tried reproducing the experiments the former government did twenty ears ago."

"You kidding, right?" Was Duo's outburst.

"I'm afraid it's not a joke Duo. Some months until now, humans are being mutated to bring about the success of twenty years ago, but it seems that their experiment failed somewhere and the subjects are able to transmutate their body into ones similar to pokemon."

"You see, these people are different from Usagi and Rey. They cannot speak with pokemon, but they are able to use powers similar to theirs but in a less pure way. I'm not sure, but it seems they've joined another component to the former experiment, and what it is, is still unknown. That's all I've got so far."

"Do you at least know from where the component comes?" Inquired Heero.

"From the same place Usagi and Rey's genes came from. Be careful, because they might start looking for them again, and it seems that a war might start real soon." He uncrossed his arms and turned to the side "I must take my leave now, I do have somewhere to be and I just wanted you to know, because they have already started to send them out."

"You know where their activity is stronger?" That had been Wufei, trust the guy with the katana to ask the questions involving actions and fighting.

"It's pretty close, and they've even acted inside the town." He nodded at their inquisitive glances "Yeah, the destruction by the fountain is proof enough."

"Thanks for the help Quatre." He appreciated the help of the blond in protecting his sister and friends.

"Don't mention it. Oh, by the way, I've been doing some check up on your new friend and I'd like to say she's quite interesting." He was sure Heero had asked the help of the man in seeking information on Makoto "I heard around that her parents were killed by the Black Moon because of treason." That statement struck him hard, and he could see by the faces of his comrades that it had struck them to. She had lied.

"As for the question you all want to know, I'm not sure if she is involved with them, but one thing is for sure, she was held during two years by one of their labs. Sorry for the bad news, but I really must be going." And it was with a saddened expression that he walked away, leaving the companions wandering on what to do.

"Lets get home, we'll decide on what to do there. Don't mention anything to the girls, and don't give any hints to Makoto." He felt his head nod numbly and his legs carry him towards the blankets. Minutes later he saw Pikachu wandering out of the trees followed by Makoto some moments later. She didn't seem happier at all, and even his small pokemon had a sour look.

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Passing through the streets he tried to get inspiration from the passers by on a subject of conversation. Sparing a side glance at the green-eyed beauty, he noticed she was still pensive like most of their walk home, and her brows were furrowed in an angry frown. He had offered to take her home, since he had been the one to get her from there in the morning.

"I heard around that her parents were killed by the Black Moon because of treason." Why had Quatre dropped such news on them? Was Makoto really lying? That really hurt, it really hurt to think that about the young trainer.

She had said that her parents had died on a car crash and that could only mean she was either lying or she didn't know the truth. He hopped the last was the truth, but seeing as how the Black Moon activity had raised since her arrival, it was hard not to suspect something was up with her.

"You want to come around the shrine after we leave the pokemon saloon?" They had agreed during their lunch talk to take their electric friends for a safe wash. He looked at her and saw her frown deepen.

"I'll be leaving town tomorrow." The reply made him stop completely and he turned his shocked depths to her confused and troubled ones.

"What?" He couldn't stop himself "What do you mean you're leaving?"

Turning her stormy emerald eyes on him, she replied with a flat voice that gripped his heart "What I said. It's time to move on, there's nothing that can hold me here."

He felt anger rise in him and he grabbed her shoulders, "Why the sudden decision? Is there something you have to do that you don't want us to know? Are you hiding something?" He really couldn't stop his actions, because somehow they had become driven by his heart and emotions, and they didn't want to let her go.

She had such a hurtful look in her eyes that he questioned himself if she had heard his conversation with Quatre or if any of his former actions had hurt her. She struggled hard against his grip, but he wouldn't budge until she gave him an answer "Are you with the Black Moon?" Now that was something he didn't want to let escape.

Her eyes were blazing now, so much emotion that he believed he could drown in them. Putting a hand on his chest she tried pushing him away "You don't understand anything, you don't even know me that much, and now you're throwing stupid questions into the air."

Pushing her closer he stared directly into her soul "Then let me know you, let me find the truth I so wish to find." She pushed harder at his chest and he pushed her closer "Stop it, stop pushing people away. At least that I know, I know how much you like pushing others away, first Rey and now everyone." She was shaking her head no, and he gripped her chin.

"Tell me who you really are, and let me see the real person." He could see it in her eyes, she was still trying to pull away and he couldn't stop his lips from crashing on hers. He had claimed rather forcefully what had been initially offered to him and it felt better than he had originally thought it would.

She tasted like strawberries and her lips were warm on his earning ones. He felt her clench her hand on his shirt, and he pulled even closer to deepen the kiss. It was rough, but he wanted her to know he was mad, he wanted her to feel his emotions, his despair and his need, just like he was feeling hers.

A soft sound escaped from the back of her throat and he responded with one of his own, and nibbled her lip more softly. He did regret when he slipped his hand off her shoulder and down to her waist, because the moment he did so, she pulled back and ran down the street in the direction of her home.

He was left there with an empty feeling, his body craving for the warmth that had been given to him in those few seconds. Contemplating the idea of going after her, he chose to let her go, because he wasn't sure of what would happen if he did in fact run after what he wanted. He just wished she wanted the same thing. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked to the shrine, head full of thoughts and heart empty.

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**Somehow this chapter sounds so weird, I've just finished re-reading it and it just makes me go, agh get out of my head XX. Just let me now if you think something is out of place or if you guys don't understand a part, though things will start to be explained in the next chapter. Agh, just let me know if there is something wrong, because I just want to know, even if they are flames.**

**Ja ne mina-san**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yo good to be back...**

**I know it's been a whille since I've updated any of my stories, but things got really out of hand for me and with exams and winning awards at college, there is little one can do when a job gets into the picture. Did I mention lazyness and a block? Oh, and what about ideas for new stories? Like for example a Makoto/Deidara one-shot I had been thinking about since he got my attention in the anime and the manga? Anyways, even if I shouldn't be apologising, for there are some who find no reason in it, I feel the need to at least do it towards those who have been reading my stories, and don't feel obligated to accept, because I understand and I just wanted you to know.**

**This chapter was planed to be longer, and it realy is, since I've writen 23 pages so far, but it was getting to lenghty for my taste, and the fear gripped me that it could become even more boring thanit already is, and that is why I've cut it. That means that chapter seven is pretty much finished, altough there is still a certain fighting I have to finish and a little candy for you all.**

**Once again, thanks for sticking up with me and thanks for the reviews. Sorry if I didn't reply to anyone's reviews, so if I forgot, just let me know.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that has already been used, altough the plot is mine. Also, I do own my Final Fantasy XII game, which I have been desperately trying to find time to play. Sigh**

**Once again:**

"Speech..." - normal

**"Speech..."** - trainers talking mentaly with pokemon (only some trainers have this privilege)

_"Speech..."_ - pokemon talking mentaly

**_"Speech..."_** - pokemon talking loudly and being understood by those who can understand (to trainers who can't understand it will sound like the same old thing, like for example "Pikachu, Pika, Pi..." ') (hehe maybe it sounds stupid)

**Hope you enjoy...**

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Chapter 06

The room was eerily quiet, but that was something Setsuna had gotten used to. For how many weeks had she, Haruka, Michiru and Quatre been in Lilycove City? Three weeks, at least she and Quatre had been in Lilycove for three weeks, because Haruka and Michiru had arrived with Makoto, seeing as they had been following her.

Makoto. Now that was an interesting individual. A girl that had been experimented on by the Black Moon, and she was one of them; one of the creators that had been breaded and born by the scientists that wanted to know the origins of pokemon.

She paused her pen over the now written sheet of paper. Should she write on the report that they had finally found the missing girl? Well, she could report to the Black Moon that Makoto was in Lilycove, but that would spoil her plans.

She mused silently on the subject. The now defeated enemies of pokemon wanted Makoto because of the experiments they had made on her and she wouldn't allow them to take her back for their own selfish reasons. Chuckling slightly at the irony of her mental statement, she let the pen rest on the wooden table.

Wasn't the reason she didn't want Makoto to bond with the other Preventors because she needed Makoto to reach Hotaru? A selfish affair of her part to want to save one person by means of another whom would be in the same dangerous conditions.

The door opened behind her, and she turned to see the young Arabian Preventor with a serene smile and a tired look. She watched him remove his jacket and plop his tired body onto one of the beds of the small hotel room.

"The night's quite enjoyable. Shouldn't you be out instead of being here working on unimportant reports?" He inquired lightly.

"We can't let ourselves relax with this mission Quatre. You know that if we do something suspicious, we'll have those idiots from the higher part of the Black Moon on our case."

"Ah, yes. I almost forgot about moody Kunzite and his elite group of fighters. I wonder when will they send someone more powerful to take care of whatever has been destroying their lackeys?"

"I just hope Haruka and Michiru's fights don't bring unwanted attention onto Makoto and our real reason for allying with them. We can't let them get to Makoto before we have a serious talk with her, that's why Haruka and Michiru are keeping their eyes on the girl."

"If you want her to be safe, then why tell me to tell Heero all those things about her parents and her past?"

"I know it was a hard task on you Quatre, but I can't allow the rebels to find out the truth about her just yet, and most of it wasn't even a lie. She was experimented on when her orphanage was burned down and her parents where killed by the Black Moon."

"You should have seen some of their faces," he paused and stared at the ceiling "such disappointment and confusion. Ash looked lost and even Wufei had a grim expression on."

Standing up she walked towards the window and let it open "Do you know why we are cursed, Quatre?" Putting her hands behind her back she leaned slightly over the window "It's because we had a cursed past. We let humans have a touch of our magic back then."

"How come you are the only one who remembers things from your past lives?"

"Didn't I tell you that? I was sure I had explained that to you before… Oh well, Unown shares his experiences with me from his time travels, and not to mention Lugia." The moonlight made her eyes shine with an unearthly glow "The legendary birds have been alive since ancient times, some of the prodigal creatures our magic created."

"He says, and so does Unown, that we haven't changed in appearance at all, and that even our personalities haven't suffered any alteration. It makes me wander if the experiment made us be reincarnated rather than re-borned."

"I see, it really makes one wonder." He rose up into a sitting position "Well, how do you plan on making Makoto help rescue Hotaru?"

"I need Makoto to win Hotaru's trust first and then I'll have to let the rest go as planned." She paused slightly "Beril knows that our weakness is Hotaru, and she will stop at noting to use her to make Haruka, Michiru and me do her biding, but that won't last for long."

"And it doesn't help that she keeps Hotaru's whereabouts a secret from us. That witch…" She muttered, "That's why we have to let Makoto be taken in and save her from inside… because not even Lugia can help this time."

"Lugia wasn't alone when he helped save Makoto, was he?" He inquired with a pensive expression.

"I guess it was luck that Electrike had an encounter with Zaptos who in turn had already been requested by Lugia to help in her rescue. After all, I'm only able to talk with the psychic type of pokemon."

"I wander as well why Electrike hasn't told Makoto of anything that happened on that day, seeing as she doesn't remember herself." She stated in deep thought "She does know that she was held in the labs for two years and the things they did to her, but anything that happened when they were able to escape has been completely forgotten by her mind."

"Maybe that made things easier for her." He replied.

"You're probably right, though I do ask if it has anything to do with what was planted in her…"

"No use thinking about that, Setsuna." He got up from the bed and approached the door "Well, I'll be going to meet up with Haruka, tell her to keep away from the Coliseum battles since she already showed herself to Makoto."

"That's probably a good idea, but tell her to keep in the shadows while the tournament takes place. I have a bad feeling about this…" She turned to the window again "Has the Black Moon given you any more orders?"

"Only to keep an eye on their new subjects and investigate who has been destroying them."

"What about the Preventors?"

"The same old thing. To keep my guard up and inform them if I happen to find out anything about this new experiment the Black Moon conduced, and of course, to report back if I happen to find out what this new component is."

"I see. The truth will be out soon… by the way, has Trowa contacted you yet?"

"Oh, I almost forgot about it. He has found another one of the girls in a town close by. She's the owner of an ice rink and a good trainer. He's waiting for your orders to decide if he should inform the other Preventors or if he should report back to the Black Moon."

"We don't want the Black Moon to get their hands on any more of the girls, so tell him to inform Heero and his group, I'm sure Usagi will be ecstatic to know of this. A compensation from us for taking Makoto away from them." She whispered.

"A compensation, huh… I'm going then. Don't want to make Haruka and Michiru wait for to long. See you later Setsuna." And he left, leaving the garnet-eyed woman with her thoughts on the moon.

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She was walking in that dark realm again, the same dark realm full of memories and forgotten hopes. Makoto could only wish that she would meet Hotaru again, see the young girl that needed help and resided in darkness. Striding forward there was nothing she could do to ignore her painful visions.

Anyways, why ignore what could never be changed? Why cry for something that was lost and would never be found? Why was she crying after re-experiencing that moment that made her run away from Ash?

Gently wiping the helpless droplets of salty water, there was nothing else she could do but to wish that they wouldn't look for her the next day, when she was planning to make her leave and to never return.

She could see that not much happened in Hotaru's dreaming world, for the image she was seeing now was the same she had envisioned two weeks ago. A helpless child, a tormenting anguish caused by the ripping of an innocent heart. She had experienced that, and there was nothing else to do but watch helplessly and sympathetically.

Watching the black realm change like it had the first time, she saw the purple clearing make its presence known, and with it, the tall brick wall and the lean frame of a raven haired youth. She smiled slightly when her eyes took notice that Hotaru wasn't hunched over and sobbing serenely. If anything, the girl seemed like she was waiting rather patiently.

"It's good to see you again, Hotaru-san." She said, while approaching the figure with expectant eyes.

"I… I didn't know that you would be the one I'd be reaching, so let me be quick." Hotaru replied slightly anxiously.

"Be reaching? Does that mean you can pull people into dreams?"

"More or less something like that… but I don't have time for that right now. They're watching my dreams more closely at the moment, because they know… they know I've been hiding you guys."

"Guys, what guys? And who is watching you?" She leaned against the wall next to Hotaru.

"Makoto, can you prove me your trust and truthfulness?" She paused, looking at the floor "Can I ask a favour of off you?"

"Just let me know Hotaru, just let me know where you are and I'll help."

The girl shook her head slowly "I just want you to find someone for me. Just find the one someone that makes me doubt hope… find Poochyena, find him and let him know that… just find him."

"Poochyena, huh. Do you know if he is still alive?" She asked rather cautiously.

"Wouldn't you know if one of your pokemon was still out there looking for you, that he was still looking for redemption when you yourself are looking for the same thing? Isn't that one of our traits?"

"Our traits? What do you mean?"

"You still don't know, do you? You're not the only one Makoto, not the only one with special traits and meaningful connections to pokemon. I could tell you a story of a distant past, that holds the answers for our mysterious existence, but there is someone better to tell you that story." She paced slightly, her dark jumpsuit comfortably wrapped around her body "After all, there is no one better to tell stories than someone who can experience the flows of time."

"Anyways, what I wanted you to know is that, there are other people who can communicate with pokemon and harness strange powers. Even I," she waved her hands around a bit, the dark mass of the space around them shifting at her commands "can control an element. My power over darkness seems to spike my captor's attention, even more do my psychic abilities."

"I know you have strong control over thunder." Pausing as if in a thinking manner, she sat herself against the wall "I happened to stumble upon some conversations the scientists were having by my… prison. The Black Moon is quite interested in you, and I couldn't find out until now…"

"What do you mean? Hotaru…" Makoto had a slight feeling of foreboding, and it was coming from the girl's words "Is the Black Moon the ones who have you captured?"

"That's not important right now." She replied "All I want is for you to find Poochyena for me and keep him safe, until I find a way out. If I happen to…" She whispered lowly.

"Only in one condition." Hotaru nodded slightly "Let me promise to you that I will find Poochyena and that I'll get you out of that place, and please believe me when I say it's a promise to keep and accomplish. I want you to keep your word that you will tell me where you are being held."

Makoto watched as the shorter youth duelled with her thoughts and emotions, shimmering violet orbs flecking between hope and distrust, anguish and peace, until it settled for a fierce look of determination and a small 'okay' left her pink lips.

"I have to warn you of something Makoto. Be careful with the people that offer you help and are after you. The Black Moon has means of recovering whatever they want and label as their own."

"They will come after you because of what they put in you eight years ago. It's ironic really, since what they put in you would have been more understandable if they had put in me, seen as my control over darkness would have made me the best candidate, but my body didn't allow for it." The girl laughed slightly.

"Do you know what they did to me?" She just couldn't help the slight curiosity. The only thing she remembered from all those two years she had been maintained inside those laboratories, was the pain and the experiments they made with her powers.

"I have knowledge, since you were the main person I had to find from the group, and at first there was no way that I could have guessed, but then I felt it, that small bit of dark energy that radiates from…" She watched in confusion as the girl paled and tried to rise from the ground in despair, only to be stopped by a black tentacle draping around her slender neck.

Makoto approached the fighting girl and tried to pull away the black silky tentacles that were pulling the petite girl deeper into darkness, just like the first time they had met. Calling for her name, she pulled the stripe that was enveloping Hotaru's neck tightly, but her attempts were rewarded with a violent shove that made her land on her back.

"Don't come near!" She heard Hotaru shout, her body radiating a gentle purple colour "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt me. Find Poochyena, he might not be far from Lilycove, since that was the last place I've heard they had spotted him."

"Heard from who?" She rasped out.

Hotaru smiled gently and pulled harder at the binding around her neck "The Black Moon has been trying to severe my bonding with Poochyena for years now. If they were able to do it, I'm sure my restraint would disappear and I would do anything they wished of me."

She could understand what the girl meant about losing all the restraint; after all it had happened to her back at the orphanage, when she thought that Electrike had been killed. That had been a horrible day, and one that was responsible for the nightmares that plagued her conscience and her nights.

"Don't worry Hotaru, I'll find him and bring you guys together."

"Thank you." With a smile, she watched the girl disappear into darkness, and soon enough, she felt her own visage turn pitch black, one though plaguing her mind. She would have to post-phone her journey, and everything would have to be done so that she could avoid Ash and the others.

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Would she come? Had she really left like she had said she would? Would she really leave after what had happened between them on the day before? He couldn't really help the thoughts that were plaguing his mind. Kicking a small pebble that was at his feet, he watched as it bounced on the busy street and hit the boot of an unaware pedestrian.

There were tons of thoughts haunting Ash's mind, and he just couldn't stop straying to the complicated subject that was Makoto Kino. Sitting himself on a bench by the shop he had agreed to meet up with her before the entire incident, he watched as Pikachu sat himself on his head.

He had invited her to come with him so that their electric pokemon could be washed and nothing dangerous would happen to them. Usagi had offered herself to come with him and meet up with Makoto, simply because she wanted to see the girl again, but he had convinced her to stay, promising that he would take Makoto to the shrine after the cleaning.

He wanted to talk with her first and see how she would react to everything, that is if she did indeed show up for their meeting. The problem was, what would he tell her? What would he talk about? Not to mention the fact that she hadn't denied his accusation, but that had probably been because her lips had been busy with his.

If the situation had been different, Ash was sure that his face would have been supporting a stupid grin for the entire time, but it had been the complete opposite. He had been in such a mood that Blissey had offered him an egg. A happiness egg, like Usagi liked to call them.

His sister and the small nurse creature looking up at him with innocent and expectant gazes had caused his day to turn a little more bright, and he had even smiled slightly at them when Usagi had exposed her curiosity 'Why are you so sad? Blissey is worried with you, and she wants to know where my happy go lucky brother went.'

He had kept what happened a secret from them, just because he still had hope that Makoto wouldn't simply leave and that their suspicions would prove themselves wrong, but hope was only hope and it was unlikely to allow him any improvement in his current situation.

Pikachu was oddly quiet, his bubbly demeanour strangely forgotten since the picnic yesterday. Everyone had noticed it, and not even Duo's teasing could make him snap from his deep contemplation. Ash had even asked Usagi to go and use Blissey to get the problem out of him, which had turned out not working, since he had only stated something about being tired.

That was what Usagi had said about the conversation Pikachu had had with Blissey. Yet he could not let himself trust what is long time companion had admitted to his sister's pokemon, he just couldn't, especially since his mood had started when he had returned from the threes with Makoto and Electrike.

"You've been here for quite a while Ash. Aren't you going to come in?" He looked up in surprise to see the tall woman that was smiling gently at him "And what the heck happened to Pikachu?"

"The usual thing Setsuna. Duo and Smeargle decided to act on an artist rampage yesterday and Pikachu was caught on the crossfire." He sighed when the green-haired woman sat by his side and removed Pikachu from his head "I'm waiting for someone."

"Someone?" Setsuna raised a slender eyebrow at him, while her hands petted Pikachu's yellow and green fur.

"Yeah, a friend of mine that was at the picnic when Smeargle decided to attack. Her Electrike was caught as well by their ministrations, and she didn't want to go trough the pain of having to wash him." He laughed gently, his eyes closing from the warm feeling he was experiencing.

"Must be a new friend that I don't know about, since I have no knowledge of any of your friends having an Electrike." He heard her murmur.

"She is. She's been here in Lilycove for two weeks now and Usagi got really attached to her. I think everyone likes her for what she is, even Wufei." He laughed.

She hummed slightly, brushing the soft patch of fur between Pikachu's ears "And what about you? You seem quite contemplative of this girl. The way you talk about her makes it seem like you're quite… fond, if I may comment."

He couldn't help the soft and sad laugh that escaped his throat, images of the day before re-surfing into his mind "What can I say? She warmed herself into me and somehow I have the feeling that she didn't want that to happen."

Setsuna turned her garnet orbs towards him and he could swear he saw something flick in them, something he could call understanding, and perhaps, regret? He couldn't be certain, seeing as she turned her head away, observing the people passing by, her ministrations on the small creature never forgotten.

Pikachu was also looking at him, his innocent orbs shinning with a troubled worry he didn't like to see in his long life pokemon. There was something in the expression that told him his friend wanted to talk, and yet, he could also notice a flicker of something he would have called secrecy. Pikachu knew something, and he was eerily warned that it had something to do with Makoto.

"You sound as if," he turned towards the soft and whimsical voice "she's lost to you. The way you said that almost makes me believe that you'll never see her again. Why do you talk in such a way?"

He grinned at her contemplative gaze, certain that it didn't reach his eyes, for it didn't come from the heart "She told me she would be leaving today." He laughed again, only because of the irony in his words "And yet, I find myself waiting for her, because deep down I hope my words didn't hurt her."

"Your words? I see… well Ash, only you can decide what to do about your future, but maybe you should consider things before acting. Instincts aren't always right, only because they sometimes get mixed in with conscience."

"I guess!" He sighed and brushed his black bangs backwards, ignoring the soft brush of strands between his fingers "She's not coming. I'm sure of that now." Casting his eyes onto the sidewalk he breathed in "Usagi is going to be broken by the news, and I wander in what way will I be able to tell them the news that she's probably gone."

"Why don't you go see if she is indeed gone?"

"Nah, I figure it's best not to go there if she didn't come." That was part true, though he was more inclined to admit that he didn't want to go and see Makoto for the fear of confirmation. For the regret of seeing that she had indeed left town, and nothing remained in her house but memories of someone he was starting to see no longer as a friend but as a stranger.

"That's a choice for you to make." Setsuna stood up, Pikachu still in her arms and observing his trainer with a calculative gaze "Let's go wash Pikachu up and give him a special treatment." Raising the yellow ball so her eyes looked into his "See if we can find that little mirthful creature that's always bouncing."

"Pikachu, Pika, Pi…" Was the weak reply. Setsuna smiled at him and flicked his small yellow bangs, to which he whined in protest.

"Yeah, lets go." Standing up, Ash followed into the store, giving one last glance into the streets, hopping to have a glance of compassionate emerald eyes and soft auburn hair and being denied of his one single wish.

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His emerald eyes watched the soft spoken girl slide her way on the crystal surface of the frozen water, small children wandering after her, like small butterflies drawn by the enchanting beauty of a pure white swan. There was no reason for Trowa to deny the grace and magnificence that was the flowing body of one Ami Mizuno.

A smile thrown in the direction of the fallen figure of a small boy, and she was by his side in a second, caring nature telling him to be careful and balance his body and to forget that gravity was still a factor in this world.

How long had he known that the young woman in front of him was anything but normal? One month. One month and he couldn't find his courage to report back what he had found only two weeks ago. Though he had, if only two days ago, he had reported back to Quatre, informing him that he had found one of the girls created by the government.

Just like Usagi and Rei, the girls that were already known by the Preventors. Just like Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna, the first to be created and whose identity was still kept from the Preventors, only because they still had a mission. To save Hotaru.

He had only reported back to Quatre because of what had happened two weeks ago, and also because it was his mission to search for the whereabouts of the other experiments. He had searched, and when he had finally gotten a sign that he might have found another one of them, he had stayed and observed.

Ami had gotten his attention, only because he had caught her talking to her Walrein and making sculptures out of ice, forming and shaping it out of thin air. He still remembered her distressed look when she had been caught, face burning from embarrassment and voice stuttering for excuses of her magical display of actions.

He had calmed her down, stating her secret was safe with him that he would not get her into an uncomfortable situation. It was hard in the beginning, but she had accepted and their friendship had grown from mere strangers to grateful companions. He liked and enjoyed her silent and caring nature, and it amused him that she was still shy towards him.

Wariness from her part he guessed, wariness that diminished since those two weeks when one of the subjects of the Black Moon had attacked. Trowa could only find one reason for her whereabouts to be found. They had gotten the information out of Hotaru, the only one who could make a connection with the other subjects.

Even if the younger of the girls didn't want to cooperate with the enemy, he knew for a fact, since he was a spy in the organisation, that the drugs they gave her were pretty hard and efficient. Yet he had to resign himself, just like the other four of his small group, to wait and watch until an opportunity comes to get the wielder of dark and ghost pokemon out of her prison.

"Why don't you join in the lesson?" He snapped his eyes onto the blue gaze that was awaiting his answer.

"I was just waiting for you to finish it up." He observed her quietly while she turned her eyes towards the children that were playing on the ice "Have you thought about my proposition?"

"About going to Lilycove and staying with the Preventors?" Ami asked, sitting by his side. He nodded slowly at her question, mindset on what happened two weeks ago. Some days after he had discovered her, he had joined in one of her classes.

It had been a fun day and everything had been going smoothly and he hadn't decided on what to tell her about the Preventors, or tell Quatre about the ice manipulator. Though he hadn't had any other choice but to talk to both of them when one of the Black Moon's experiments decided to attack.

The man that had appeared had been a fighting type, or at least his genetic code had been tempered with genes from fighting type pokemon. He had appeared cracking up the ice and throwing innocent children and adults to the side. He was grateful it didn't take long for the civilians to scurry away leaving him with Ami and the colossal man.

Trowa had to admit he was quite surprised with the display of powers the young woman had made. He knew, for a fact, that these girls had been made to be special, to recreate the past, but he had never seen a display of powers from one of them. Not from Usagi and Rei that were with Heero, nor from his three female companions.

The fight was exhausting, and he hadn't dared indulge in a physical battle with the enemy, which wasn't really needed since he had had Kadabra with him and Ami had had her Walrein. Even though, it had been quite hard on the pokemon and it hadn't taken much time for the blue-haired youth to resort to her magic, raising mighty stalagmites from the ground and dropping heavy stalactites from the ceiling.

They had won nonetheless, and he had been even more impressed with her, but it started hanging in his mind that he had to take her away from that place, because he wouldn't be able to stay for long. He still had a mission. So he told her he was a Preventor and that she wasn't safe there, informing Quatre some hours later and awaiting orders on what course of action to take.

It had taken Quatre some days to respond, and he was glad that the call he received the night before wasn't bad news. The Black Moon wasn't to be informed of the fact that he had found the girl they had sent a minion to capture, but she was to be informed to the Preventors, for there was no one better to take care of her but the rebel group.

"I don't know Trowa, this place is important to me." She whispered, "I grew up here, and this rink is everything to me. My mother was one of the best ice skaters and she adored being surrounded by children, I guess that was one of the reasons why she adopted me." She smiled.

"Your mother was a great trainer and she was part of the Preventors, it was also her mission to maintain you safe." He had made a little research on the girl's past, and it wasn't with much surprise he discovered the girl had been under the guardianship of someone who wouldn't use her traits for bad purposes.

There was a light suspicion from his part and the other four members of his Preventor's cell that the girls had always been under the guardianship of a member of the rebel group, though occurrences might have changed such a thing. Hotaru's case was a good example of things going wrong.

"I know. It was nice of you to tell me something about my mother that I didn't know." He watched as she bit her lip softly, her gaze never leaving her petite students "I'm sorry to say I won't be leaving at the first sign of trouble. My life is here."

"They will come back, and we never know what might come next. I have a mission and I can't stay to protect you, but in Lilycove there are others who can give you what you need…" He sighed softly "Rei and Usagi would receive you well."

"Sorry Trowa, but no. I have no problem with acceptance and that is not the case, I assure you. My decision has been made, and I will stay." She stated determinedly.

Well that had been a hole in his plan. It seemed he would have to ask Heero to come and have a look, after all. He had thought that she would probably accept the invitation, but that had not been the case, so there was no other choice but to contact Heero like Quatre had told him to. Maybe Usagi would be able to convince her.

Smiling slightly at her he stood up "I guess there is nothing for me to do. I would gladly stay, but I have other duties besides those that are concerned with the Preventors, so I'll be leaving tomorrow."

"Won't you go back to your friends in Lilycove?" She asked, standing up and skilfully balancing her body on top of the sharp blades. Trowa shook his head and extended a hand towards her, which she took "You know, I don't consider this a proper goodbye."

"Neither do I, but I'm afraid that if the danger you are in brought us together now, then the war that is to come will bring us close once again, probably in the battlefield." She clasped her other hand onto his and brought it up.

"Want to eat some ice cream later? When my classes finish? I don't find the idea of only meeting you again in a battlefield very happy." She said, a tint of pink adorning her cheeks and eyes cast onto the floor.

"I think that would be nice." He stated, watching her smile at him and remove her hands, only to wave them at him while she skidded next to her pupils in the middle of the rink. Smiling softly, he turned around. There was a certain group of friends he had to call.

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Makoto still felt her legs shake slightly; the thin hairs along her arms standing on end even after a good spare time of thirty minutes since she finished giving Electrike a bath. She knew it would affect her as much as it did him, but there was no way she would go to the hairdresser in the possibility of finding Ash.

Even if she was going to stay in Lilycove for Hotaru, she would make sure that all was made to avoid him and his group of friends. It still hurt to think that he had thought such things about her, well it still should hurt, since it had been made known only on the day before.

The morning and the early afternoon had been eventless, and she enjoyed that. There was still so much on what she had to think; so much that it was making her frustrated and helpless. Makoto knew from deep within her mind, that finding Poochyena wouldn't be an easy task, specially since she didn't know where to start looking, and the worst part was, that she wouldn't be able to talk with him herself.

Sure, she could use any of her own pokemon, but that wouldn't be the same as talking with her own heart. The words spoken wouldn't have the same impact and effect. Well, her pokemon did know how to show what she felt, and she had already talked with them about the girl and all of what had been mentioned to her, except the part that affirmed her life was in danger.

She was tired of making them worry, and she didn't want anything bad to happen ever again. Makoto had almost lost Electrike once, Treecko had been exposed to the same kind of danger many times and Medicham was close to fading away only two days ago.

Getting up from the couch, she wandered into the bathroom where Treecko had been left to enjoy the feel of the crystalline water on him, or so he had asked. He had been tainted by Smeargle's paint as well, but that had not worried her, since Electrike was the worst of her problems when it came to washing.

Her green irises noted the pink figure that was sat by the window meditating, probably thinking in a course of actions to take in her place. He was better at strategies than she was, no reason in debating on that fact. Electrike was laying on the floor under the windowsill, sleeping profoundly.

She couldn't blame him, since he was probably more shaken than she was. Why he couldn't control his attacks while he was taking a bath was beyond her, but she guessed he was still young. Wise but young.

When she came upon the bathroom door, the first thing that took notice into her brain was the fact that everything was to quiet, scarily quiet when it came to Treecko and water. The little creature was normally soiling her bathroom and dancing around happily, mumbling incoherent things through water bubbles.

Opening the wooden door, the only thing she could do was stare in concern at her friend. Treecko was sitting solemnly in the water; his finger unconsciously creating ripples in the peaceful surface and his eyes with a distant tint to them. Treecko was contemplating and that couldn't be good, it definitely wasn't good.

Stalking noiselessly into the white room, bare feet dragging over brown tiles, she bent over her knees and sat calmly by the side of the bathtub. He had yet to lose that look from his eyes, and she could hear her brain let alarms go off with warnings that something was not well.

Reaching a hand she made sure to stop his wandering paw, halting any sort of disturbance in water. It was ironic, she had to admit, his eyes had seemed as troubled as the water was when his hands had been rippling its surface, but he was now smiling brightly at her, white teeth shinning endlessly.

She was not fooled "Would you like sharing your thoughts?" His smile dropped a notch and his sunny yellowish eyes dulled at her request. What was up with him?

"_What do you mean Mako-chan?"_ Even his tingling voice sounded far away. He removed his paw from her hand and started cupping the water to splash it on his face some seconds later.

"I think you know what I mean, so don't try to stall me. It's not often that I catch you with that look in your face, and when I do it's not easy to forget or dismiss." Her nimble hands started drawing circles on the tip of his tail, green colour more alive because of the water it had been touching.

"_It's nothing to worry about Makoto,"_ He paused from his ministrations _"and even if I don't look like the smart type, I do like to contemplate on things once in a while."_ His eyes turned to hers, and she could just stare worriedly into those dull pools.

"I suppose you're assuming I don't consider you intelligent? Is this jealousy, Treecko?" No, it wasn't only that. Something deeper was bothering her happy friend. He looked away, and her hand instinctively pushed his small head so that he was looking at her.

"_Why is it that I'm never present?"_ His eyes, windows to a soul, looked so hurt, so forgotten _"Why can't I help when you're in danger?"_

"Treecko…"

"_Whenever there is problems I'm always absent lately. A few years ago, I had my chances of helping you, but lately I'm not there."_ He paused, eyes glaring at the water _"When that man attacked in the forest you didn't even summon me, and his powers were water based. You let Electrike fight, plainly aware of the consequences it would have on him."_

"_I think you've finally found out how useless I am. I believe that the truth has been understood about what my elders told me and you; I'm no use to anyone and I'm not a good protector to trees. I let my tree burn down… and I'll probably let you…"_ She couldn't stop her hand before it moved.

Her companion had his eyes wide-open, greenish cheek supporting a red mark. Makoto felt her hand sting, but more so, she felt her heart constrict. She wanted it to go away, she wanted the problems to be blown away by the strong winds of eternal plains. Treecko was staring hard and sadly at the unmoving waters, his own eyes reflecting the restlessness of untamed waves.

She felt another part of her heart crack, a part she was trying to keep in tacked since that afternoon with Ash, since the accusations that had been made on her by Pikachu. Her eyes blurred and she had the awful feeling of falling, spiralling trough a deep crack covered in thorns that prickled her arms in the descent.

She had never hit her pokemon with the intent to harm. Yes, she had trained against them, but that had served a purpose, which was meant to make them stronger. A soft whimper escaped her lips before she could imprison it, and she forced the knot in her throat to go down. This was not the time to cry, even if she was aware that her actions would leave a deep scar in both of them.

She hated that look in her friends. The same look she knew adorned her features on many occasions. They didn't owe her anything; she was the one who did owe them something. Why did they have to support that commitment so strongly, that their lives meant nothing to them if it wasn't to protect her? She did not have that wish. She didn't want them to kill themselves to maintain her alive.

She wanted to be the one doing it. Why else did she have the abilities she had? Was it so she could protect herself from a harsh world? No, she would never believe in such a thing. When a gift is given to you, you should use it to make sure that the ones around you are happy and taken care of. Makoto wanted to protect her brothers.

Shifting so that her knees were set on the tiled floor, she reached forward and yanked her green companion forward so that his figure was pressed securely in her arms, face buried deep within her chest. She wanted him to know, she wanted to assure him that her actions meant no harm or thought. She had never considered this in the few chaotic days she had been experiencing.

Ignoring the fact that her shirt was starting to get soaked from his wet figure, she murmured apologies, squeezed harder when he didn't react, and felt her heart crack a tiny bit more when her shirt started to get wetter in a certain part. It was not coming from his body; that she knew unconsciously.

Someone was knocking at the door, but Makoto didn't care; the only thing that mattered right now, was bringing the tiny pieces that composed Treecko together. Make him see that the harm wasn't intended, that it wasn't punishment but more of a waking up alarm. He was pushing her away and she didn't want to let go.

It was with much reluctance that Makoto let her body be separated by the tiny hands of her green companion. She cringed at his blank expression and she wanted to say something, but the person that was knocking at her door was starting to grate her nerves.

"Treecko… I want to…"

"_You should go open the door."_ He replied. She stared at him pondering on her choices, and it made her cringe inwards when she realised there wasn't much to be done at that moment. Was she going to risk the option of leaving him alone so that he could raise a shell around himself?

The footsteps that were approaching made her snap out of her reverie, and she turned to greet the lazy eyes of her wolf-like companion. Electrike stood there looking from her to Treecko, and Makoto was sure that he had noticed that something was off. Hell, the atmosphere in the small bathroom was almost suffocating her. Raising onto her feet, she handed a small towel to Treecko.

"_Usagi was knocking at the door, and since you didn't show any sign of opening it, Medicham let her in."_ He said calmly _"Is something wrong?"_

Shaking her head and smoothing her blue jeans she turned to the door **"I'll go see what it is that she wants."** Stepping into the narrow hall and halting slightly, she let her gaze drop towards the floor **"I want to talk with you later Treecko."**

She left her silent companions and found the petite sunny blond chatting animatedly with her serious pokemon. She smiled slightly at the concentrated look on Medicham's face, for it wasn't often that he paid attention to the people that talked with him. Usagi, though, was Usagi, and there was something in the girl that just screamed for everyone to pay attention.

Said blond turned her eyes upon the chestnut haired trainer, and it wasn't long until the girl beamed at her, scrambling from her crouched position. Something clicked in Makoto and she remembered the accusing words Pikachu had left her with yesterday. She didn't deserve that smile, and she certainly didn't deserve the complete trust the girl had laid upon her.

Clearing her hazy mind and constricted throat, she spoke, trying hard to not seem as troubled as she felt "Good to see you Usagi. Do you need anything."

The girl in front of her, furrowed her brows and she was sure Usagi was trying to figure out why she was being so formal, and the fact that the friendly 'chan' suffix wasn't present, only gave more reasons for her thoughts. She didn't want to go back, because even if she wasn't going to leave today, she would leave one day. She made a promise to Hotaru, and no one was to be involved in it. Specially not someone that had been implanted in her heart as a member of her new family.

Makoto wanted them to stay away, away from her problems and troubles. Keep them away of something she was afraid to lose control off, for there was no way she wanted the same incident at the orphanage to happen. No blood, no screams, no regrets and definitely no deaths.

"I was thinking that you would probably go to the shrine with Ash after you guys left the hairdressing shop, but then Ash told me that you hadn't even met up with him, so I got worried with you." She cleared her dark thoughts and looked at the troubled expression on Usagi's face "Is something wrong Mako-chan? You seem kind of troubled."

She felt relieved somehow, relieved because it seemed Ash hadn't breathed anything about what had happened or the fact that she had unceremoniously told him that she would be leaving Lilycove. Making her way towards the kitchen, she graced the motherly blond with a small smile "Everything is fine. I wasn't expecting you here, that's all, and please give Ash my apologies. I overslept today."

Usagi followed her through the living room and into the small kitchen "Why don't you come with me to the shrine? Rei wanted to go and sign up for the Coliseum battles with you, and she would have come to say so herself, but she had some things to do back at the shrine."

"I don't know Usagi, I have some things to finish up and I'll have to go to work in a few hours..."

"_It's better if you go Makoto."_ She turned her head in surprise towards the door, were Electrike was sitting behind Usagi _"You'll have to face them one way or the other. Plus, whatever happened in the bathroom, leave it as it is for some time. You need to cool down."_

Pulling her sombre face towards the window, she paid no attention to the gentle conversation Usagi was having with her pokemon after noticing his presence. Confronting Ash now wouldn't help her state of confusion and pain, because she had no idea why he had accused her from being part of the Black Moon.

Treecko... that was another thing she had to change and fix, though she had to wonder how a broken heart could be fixed. Maybe there was some sort of special glue that could be bought around the shops. The irony of her thoughts made Makoto inwardly chuckle. Things weren't that simple, for once we fall, we must stand on our own. Wasn't that what people often said?

"Please Mako-chan?"

Usagi was cradling Electrike in her arms, and she noticed his encouraging eyes. There was none she could do to defeat the girl's puppy dog eyes, and her little companion who seemed more able than anyone to command her around in situations where she felt she could be the most stubborn person in the world.

Sighing, she pushed her figure off the counter were she had reclined herself after Electrike's little advice "Okay then, lets go annoy Rei a little bit." The blond jumped slightly in the air, fist raised in a manner of triumph, and she smiled at her childish demeanour. Her smile was quickly replaced with a loud laugh when the green wolf yelped out of Usagi's arms, with a spooked gleam in his eyes.

"_We'll stay home."_ Came the composed voice of her electric pokemon _"Try to relax, we can handle ourselves."_ Turning tail he headed for the rooms _"I'm going to see if Medicham wants to help me talk with Treecko."_

She opted for not giving him a response and instead followed Usagi into the leaving room "Let me just change into a different shirt. This one is all wet, you know how messy things can get when you have to give your pokemon a bath."

Usagi only smiled and waited for her while she went off to change into a dark forest green tank-top. She had found her contemplating some of her recent pictures, and she was glad when the girl pressed no questions about family pictures. The response wasn't one that was easy to speak about, since it was deep buried underneath the incident at the orphanage.

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**Feedback would be apreciated, but feel free to mind your own business and only read the story. I'll be getting back to college in September, and then I'm sure I'll have more time and my updates will be more often. By the way, chapter three for Darkness Within has been started a while back, but I'll probably only update by the ends of August, seeing as it is still pretty much delaied and there is more I want to write. Sorry for the little Makoto content, but there is still much i have to get out, altough I do believe this story won't take that long for me to finish.**

**Ja ne mina-san**


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